In France, 20 million people are at risk of cardiovascular disease and around 100,000 new cases of infarction occur each year. A significant risk especially when polls * show that 6 out of 10 French people fail to identify the warning signs.
Who are the people at risk?
People who smoke, have high blood pressure, have too much cholesterol or have diabetes, those who are obese or very sedentary have a much higher risk of developing a heart attack.
Can we avoid a heart attack?
If there are risk factors… there are also protective factors. Thus, a balanced diet, a moderate consumption of wine and salt as well as a minimum of physical activity are recommended.
Note, it is possible to have several infarcts. A person who would have already had one, is more likely than another to have another one, all the more, if he remains sedentary, continues to smoke and to have an inadequate food hygiene. The risk of reoffending within six months is then multiplied by 3.8.
What are the signs that should alert you?
If you suddenly feel one or more of the following signs, immediately call 15 (SAMU).
– A very intense pain in the chest which lasts more than 10 minutes. You will feel like your chest is squeezed or squashed, like in a vise. This sensation can occur day or night, at rest or during exertion. The pain can also spread to the jaws, arms (especially left) or pit of the stomach.
And more rarely:
– Pain in an atypical area of the body such as the wrist or jaw.
– Gastric embarrassment (especially in the elderly).
What can we do while waiting for the SAMU?
After immediately calling the SAMU, you can start by, if possible, lay the person down and try to reassure them. The SAMU will then take charge of it.
Thanks to the French Federation of Cardiology.
* Survey carried out by the Ipsos institute for AstraZeneca, made public on Tuesday January 11.
