Heart Attack Statistics
The number one killer in America is cardiovascular disease.
More than two of every five Americans die of cardiovascular disease. Today, more than one in five Americans suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease, with more than 2,500 Americans dying
from it each day. Of those with heart disease, 52.2 percent are male and 47.8 percent are female; 88.2 percent are white, 9.5 percent are black, and 2.4 percent are of other races. Clearly, heart disease is a national concern.
At least 250,000 people die of heart attacks each year before they reach a hospital. Half of all heart attack victims wait more than two hours before getting help. Studies show that under-educated
people are more likely to suffer heart attacks. Estimates are that 3 million Americans suffer occasional chest pain.
As many as 50 million Americans have high blood pressure, the leading contributor to heart disease. Of those people, 35 percent don't know they have it. High blood pressure is easily detectable and
usually controllable.
Of thirty-five countries surveyed in 1991, the United States cardiovascular death rate ranked 17th for both males and females. The highest death rates were in the Soviet Union, Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary,
and Czechoslovakia. The lowest were in Japan, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Canada.
Chest Pain: Warning signs of restricted blood flow to the heart
- usually occur before the heart attack happens
- may happen days, weeks, or even months before the heart attack occurs
- may be mild and easy to ignore
- may be confused with indigestion
- may be confused with sore muscles
Pay attention to warning signs and seek treatment early.
Studies show that by seeking help during the first hour of discomfort, you are less likely to have severe or permanent damage to the heart muscle
Warning Signs of A Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack):
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing, pain or discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than two minutes.
- Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulders, neck, or arms.
- Pain, dizziness, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath.
- Any chest discomfort that causes anxiety or concern.
- Any of the above symptoms that disappear with rest, then return with exertion.
Pain that lasts for 10 to 15 minutes while you are resting should be evaluated immediately.
[This information compiled from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the American Heart Association, and other sources in order to help promote cardiac awareness
and early treatment of cardiac emergencies.]
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Cardiac Nursing Resources
