Healthy Hearts: Heart Attack Symptoms and
Prevention
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the
United States. CHD is caused by a narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the
heart. This narrowing often results in a heart attack.
While a heart attack is sudden, the causes of the heart attack are not. Years of unhealthy heart
habits can catch up with you unexpectedly. How you live your life largely affects your heart
health. Taking the following steps can help prevent you from becoming a statistic:

Don't smoke

Check your cholesterol

Control your blood pressure

Maintain a healthy weight and diet

Exercise regularly
Below are the most common heart attack symptoms:

Chest discomfort. Discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few
minutes, uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms,
the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.

Other Signs. Breaking out in a cold sweat, fatigue, nausea, irregular heartbeats, or
lightheadedness.
For women, heart attack symptoms are often more subtle than those experienced by men.
Women are somewhat more likely to experience other common symptoms, particularly
shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
If you or someone you are with is experiencing chest discomfort, especially with one or more of
the other signs, act quickly. Call 9-1-1 immediately, and get to a hospital right away.
Visit PacificSource.com for free online tools and resources
As a PacificSource member, you can access CaféWell, an online health engagement portal. To
get started, go to PacificSource.com, log into InTouch, and then click on the CaféWell button.
Visit CaféWell to:

Complete the health assessment to identify your potential health risks.

Get your health and wellness questions answered by an expert health coach.

Connect with family, friends, and others with similar health goals.

Access helpful tips and articles on health and wellness.
If you have questions about your coverage, a claim, or any benefit or service, please visit
PacificSource.com and log in to InTouch for Members to access information, or contact our
Customer Service team:

Email: cs@pacificsource.com

Phone:
Idaho: 208.333.1596 or 800.688.5008
Montana: 406.442.6589 or 877.590.1596
Oregon: 541.684.5582 or 888.977.9299
En Español: 541.684.5456 or 800.624.6052, ext. 1009
For more information on heart disease, go to www.americanheart.org.
© 2010