Columbia Aged Care

The heart is like any other muscle in the body. It needs to be supplied with oxygen rich blood in order to continue pushing blood throughout the rest of the body. When there isn’t enough blood being supplied the muscle will begin to suffer – if the blood supply stops all together the muscle begins to die.

A heart attack is extremely serious, however the symptoms can be quite subtle in some cases leading people to go with the “let’s see how I’m feeling in an hour” approach rather than calling an ambulance straight away.

To help people become more aware of the signs of a heart attack the Heart Foundation has provided some information on the symptoms.

During a heart attack you may experience pain, pressure or tightness in your:

• Chest: You may begin to feel pain tightness, discomfort or a crushing feeling in the centre of your chest. The pain may be severe, mild or make you feel generally unwell.
• Shoulders: You may experience pressure, heaviness or a general ache than spreads from the centre of your chest to one or both of your shoulders.
• Neck: During a heart attack you may experience discomfort in the neck, or a choking or burning feeling in the throat.

Heart attack symptoms vary, and contrary to popular belief, they are not always sudden or severe. They may begin slowly with only mild feelings of pain or discomfort. You may experience one symptom or a combination but whatever symptom is felt don’t ignore it! The sooner you get to a doctor the better.

Read the full article here.

Contrary to popular belief asthma is not just a childhood disease. It has been known to develop for the first time later in life. It is believed that 30% of seniors have undiagnosed asthma as many elderly people tend to ignore the signs of breathing problems.

The Asthma Foundation has provided some tips about how to know if you have asthma and what to do if you are diagnosed.

How to know if you have asthma

Breathlessness, feeling like your chest is very tight, a dry continual cough and wheezing are the main symptoms of asthma. If you are experiencing any of these on a regular basis visit your doctor to be tested and diagnosed properly.

In Australia, 10% of adults are living with asthma. Some were diagnosed as children and others develop it later in life. Unfortunately, the older a person is, the higher the risk of asthma becoming fatal. It’s best to practice good asthma control.

Tips for seniors with asthma

• Make sure you are using your inhaler correctly – ask your doctor to show you how.
• Ask about your other medications as some, such as heart medication, may interfere with the way asthma medications or your lungs work.
• Be sure to get regular exercise.
• Visit your doctor regularly to maintain good asthma management.
• Have an Asthma Action Plan.
• Get you and your family to learn asthma first aid so if you need help they will be able to assist you. You will feel more comfortable knowing what to do as well.  

For more tips, click here.