heart health
Chest pain: What
is wrong with me?
Take control
of cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol, what
should you do?
You need some cholesterol to
be healthy. The body makes all it
needs.
Cholesterol is also in many
foods. Too much of the wrong
type can build up inside arteries.
That can clog blood flow to the
heart. In time, it can lead to
heart disease or a heart attack or
stroke.
So how much is too much?
It depends. There are different
healthy levels for each type:
LDL is the bad cholesterol.
It's mostly to blame for blocked
arteries. The lower your LDL
level, the better. To reduce your
risk of heart attack and stroke, an
LDL level of less than 100 mg/dL
of blood is best.
HDL is the good cholesterol.
It helps remove LDL from the
bloodstream. An HDL level higher
than 60 mg/dL helps protect you
from heart disease.
Triglycerides are another type
of fat in the blood. A normal
reading is less than 150 mg/dL.
To get your cholesterol
numbers where they should be,
start with some healthy habits.
Aim to:
Be active on a regular basis.
Stay at a healthy weight.
Eat a diet low in cholesterol,
saturated fat and trans fats.
Your provider can help you get
started. If these changes aren't
enough, your provider may also
suggest you take medicine.
Source: American Heart Association
Take an
antacid.
Call your
provider if the
problem persists.
If you have... You might feel... You might also have... What to do...
Heart problems,
such as:
Heart attack.
Heart
disease.
Lung diseases,
such as:
Pneumonia.
Pleurisy.
Asthma.
Gastrointestinal
problems,
such as:
Acid reflux.
Heartburn.
A crushing, squeezing
pain or pressure over a
large area of the
chest—often
spreading to the arms,
neck, back and jaw.
Pain that gets worse
with breathing.
A burning pain when
you swallow or after
you eat.
Shortness of breath.
Nausea.
Sweating.
Dizziness.
Call 911. Let
the ambulance
come get you—
do not drive to
the hospital.
Cold symptoms.
Mucus.
Drink fluids.
Take cold
medicines.
Call your
provider.
Trouble swallowing.
C
hest pain can
be scary. And
sometimes it’s
dangerous. But how do
you know if the pain is
very serious?
The chart below can
help you know what
might be causing the
pain and give you an idea
of what to do.
Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American
College of Emergency Physicians; American Medical Association
If you’re not sure what’s
causing your chest pain, call
911 for help.
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family
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