Framingham is a longitudinal cohort study, a type of epidemiological study that follows a group of individuals over time to determine the natural history of certain diseases, explore the behavior of those diseases, and identify the factors that might explain their development.

The Framingham Heart Study is now considered one of the longest, most important epidemiological studies in medical history. In the 1960s, the study demonstrated the role cigarette smoking plays in the development of heart disease. Those findings helped to fuel the first anti-smoking campaigns of that era.

THE FRAMINGHAM HEART STUDY Much of our appreciation of the pathophysiology of heart disease came from the results of studies from the FHS. It established the traditional risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cigarette smoking for coronary heart disease.

Framingham Heart Study

The study found high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol to be major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In the past half century, the study has produced approximately 3,000 articles in leading medical journals.

A heart attack occurs when an artery supplying your heart with blood and oxygen becomes blocked. Fatty deposits build up over time, forming plaques in your heart’s arteries. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form and block your arteries, causing a heart attack.

Heart failure signs and symptoms may include:

• Shortness of breath (dyspnea) when you exert yourself or when you lie down.
• Fatigue and weakness.
• Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles and feet.
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat.
• Reduced ability to exercise.
• Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm.

What to do if you or someone else may be having a heart attack

1. Call 911 or your local medical emergency number.
2. Chew and swallow an aspirin, unless you are allergic to aspirin or have been told by your doctor never to take aspirin.
3. Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed.
4. Begin CPR if the person is unconscious.

Acting quickly can save lives. If given quickly after symptoms, clot-busting and artery-opening medications can stop a heart attack, and having a catheterization with a stent put in may open a closed blood vessel. The longer you wait for treatment, the more chances of survival go down and damage to the heart goes up.

Here are 4 signs of heart attack to be on the lookout for:

• #1: Chest Pain, Pressure, Squeezing, and Fullness.
• #2: Arm, Back, Neck, Jaw, or Stomach Pain or Discomfort.
• #3: Shortness of Breath, Nausea, and Lightheadedness.
• #4: Breaking Out in a Cold Sweat.
• Heart Attack Symptoms: Women vs Men.
• What Next?
• Next Steps.

Japanese technique that can help you lose belly fat quickly Known as Long-breath diet by Ryosuke, this Japanese technique for losing belly fat quickly involves standing in a certain position, taking 3-second breath and exhaling strongly for 7 seconds.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends the following actions to reduce your risk for a second heart attack:

1. Quit smoking.
2. Eat a heart-healthy diet.
3. Control your cholesterol.
4. Exercise regularly.
5. Stay at a healthy weight.
6. Control high blood pressure.
7. Assess your mental health.
8. Take your medicines as directed.

If you sleep on your right side, the pressure of your body smashes up against the blood vessels that return to your ticker, but “sleeping on your left side with your right side not squished is supposed to potentially increase blood flow back to your heart.” And anything you can do to help your most important organ pump …

Many folks refrain from drinking at bedtime to avoid getting up overnight. But, cardiologists say there’s a good reason to risk a trip to the bathroom and take a drink before bed. A glass of water before sleeping helps reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.

“If you belch or pass gas and the pain goes away, you could just be experiencing stomach pain or heartburn,” said Joseph Lash, M.D., cardiologist with Norton Heart and Vascular Institute. “If the pain persists and you have shortness of breath or nausea, it could be a heart-related issue.”

The blockage of the blood supply to the heart muscle that occurs with coronary artery disease leads the heart to “cry out in pain” when it is asked to work harder. However, that pain is not always felt in the chest. Sometimes it is felt in the shoulders, arms, back, jaw, or abdomen.

To most patients, belching, chills and fatigue do not sound like symptoms of heart attack. As a result, many sufferers do not seek medical attention, or they delay it, which can result in permanent damage to the heart muscle or even death.

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Can you have a heart attack and not know it? Yes. A heart attack can actually happen without a person knowing it. You can understand why it is called a “silent” heart attack.

Symptoms

• Chest pain (angina). You may feel pressure or tightness in your chest, as if someone were standing on your chest.
• Shortness of breath. If your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, you may develop shortness of breath or extreme fatigue with activity.
• Heart attack.

Angina symptoms in women can also include feeling out of breath, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or sharp chest pain. Once the extra demand for blood and oxygen stops, so do the symptoms.

There are three types of angina:

• Stable angina is the most common type. It happens when the heart is working harder than usual.
• Unstable angina is the most dangerous. It does not follow a pattern and can happen without physical exertion.
• Variant angina is rare. It happens when you are resting.

But research suggests that women experience symptoms for several weeks before a heart attack. A study published in 2003 of 515 women who had experienced a heart attack, reports 80 percent of women had at least 1 symptom at least 4 weeks before their heart attack.

Timing/duration: Heart attack pain can be intermittent or continuous. Heart attack symptoms can last for a few minutes to a few hours. If you have had chest pain continuously for several days, weeks or months, then it is unlikely to be caused by a heart attack.

Without oxygen, heart muscle cells begin to break down. A heart attack can cause permanent damage to the heart, impairing its pumping ability. However, survival rates are favorable for those who seek immediate medical attention.

Although chest pain is common to both a panic attack and a heart attack, the characteristics of the pain often differ. During a panic attack, chest pain is usually sharp or stabbing and localized in the middle of the chest. Chest pain from a heart attack may resemble pressure or a squeezing sensation.

Typical heart attack symptoms This discomfort or pain can feel like a tight ache, pressure, fullness or squeezing in your chest lasting more than a few minutes. This discomfort may come and go.

It is normal to feel very tired after a heart attack. Initially try to limit any visiting to your immediate family and keep visits brief. Meals are intentionally light as a heavy meal will increase demand on your heart. Eating smaller meals more often means that your heart will not have to work so hard.

This happens because the body is circulating most of the available blood to the brain and other vital organs to compensate for the failing heart’s inability to pump enough blood to the entire body. As a result, the extremities get less blood, and without blood to warm them, these parts of your body feel cold.

The bottom line. If you have chest pain that comes and goes, you should be sure to see your doctor. It’s important that they evaluate and properly diagnose your condition so that you can receive treatment. Remember that chest pain can also be a sign of a more serious condition like a heart attack.