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Heart Attack Treatment

Surviving Heart Attacks with Kaweah Health Care

A heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI) occurs when an artery or blood vessel leading to the heart becomes blocked. Typically, this is caused by plaque in the vessel that has built up over time, leading to a blood clot. The difference between a heart attack and angina is that angina attacks don’t cause permanent damage to the heart muscle. A heart attack can be deadly.

Kaweah Health Care is ready 24-7, with fast, lifesaving treatments. If you live in the San Joaquin Valley, know that we’re always at our best when the worst happens.

What are the signs of a heart attack?

Don’t wait to get help if you experience any of these heart attack warning signs. Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but most of them start slowly with mild pain or discomfort. Know the signs, and call 9-1-1 if you feel.

  • Chest discomfort — watch for pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. It can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

  • Other upper body discomfort — symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

  • Shortness of breath — with or without chest discomfort.

  • Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Count on Kaweah Health in the San Joaquin Valley

If you ever find yourself or someone you love in an emergency situation, trust the specialized team of board-certified cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and vascular surgeons who work with us at Kaweah Health. We’re the San Joaquin Valley’s leaders in heart care. Whether it’s a trip to the ER for a heart attack or preventive cardiac surgery, we’re here with whatever you need to stay strong and healthy.

If you ever think you are having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately!

Kaweah Health’s teams partner to provide heart and heart attack care for patients from Visalia, Hanford, Tulare, Porterville, Fresno, Bakersfield and surrounding areas.

Learn more about our new affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic, Click HERE