Can You Have Heart Attack Without Knowing It

"Silent" centre attacks that don't produce noteworthy symptoms put you lot at the aforementioned future risks as the archetype ones.

When you think of a heart set on, you probably flick a pretty dramatic event that includes someone experiencing intense chest pain, clutching their arm and dropping to the basis unconscious.

But in real life today, heart attacks aren't unremarkably that farthermost. Some produce no symptoms, or only produce mild symptoms that are so unremarkable that people error them for something else — heartburn from a lunchtime burrito, fatigue, or a breast muscle strain.

"The true incidence of silent middle attacks is non known, since past definition they become unnoticed," says Dr. Michelle O'Donoghue, a senior investigator with the TIMI Study Grouping, an academic research grouping studying cardiovascular disease at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. "Still, estimates have placed them anywhere from 20% to 60% of all heart attacks." Both women and men are at run a risk, she says.

Identifying a silent heart set on

People ofttimes don't learn that they had a heart attack until they have an electrocardiogram (ECG) or a stress examination and the physician notices signs consequent with heart damage. As in traditional symptomatic centre attacks, a silent eye assault involves a blockage of blood flow to the heart. This injures and scars part of the heart musculus, leaving behind telltale signs.

Unfortunately, while a centre assail may go unnoticed, the injury it causes is real and puts yous at higher take chances for heart failure or a hereafter center attack.

Take action after a silent heart attack

If you lot do detect out that you've had a silent heart attack, you should take steps to preclude or control cardiovascular risk factors, such as loftier blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, any of which can make another center assail more likely.

Doctors don't completely empathise why some people experience no symptoms — or just balmy or unusual ones — during a middle set on, Dr. O'Donoghue says. To amend identify silent heart attacks, she says, in that location needs to be more education most less mutual symptoms, which are often very unlike from the ones most people picture.

"I think the greatest misconception virtually a middle assail is that the chest discomfort is 'painful' — in fact, most patients describe the chest discomfort as a heaviness or squeezing awareness that tin be quite mild in nature," she says. "Women may also feel more atypical symptoms, similar shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, and tingling in the left arm or jaw."

If y'all do experience these symptoms, it's all-time to get them checked out immediately. Even if they don't turn out to be centre-related, it truly is better to be safe than lamentable.

Be heart smart!

Take these steps to head off cardiovascular disease:

Talk to your doctor most risk factors. Identify things in your wellness history that might put you at higher risk for a center assault, such as high claret pressure level, loftier cholesterol, a family history of center disease, and diabetes. Don't forget to mention female-specific risk factors, such equally a history of early menopause (earlier historic period 40) or a by episode of preeclampsia (a potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication marked by high blood pressure and protein in the urine).

Review your risk factors with your doctor. Know that your risk for heart problems may ascent after menopause or if your wellness changes.

Get screened. Monitor your blood pressure level, and consider getting tested for diabetes if you accept risk factors, such as a family history of the disease, overweight or obesity, or gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

Prefer a healthy lifestyle. Consume a heart-healthy diet, pregnant one that is high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, and low in processed foods, saturated fat, and carbohydrate. It'south also important to get regular practise, as well equally adequate high-quality sleep. Y'all should too work to reduce your stress levels.

Managing take chances factors

"Since heart attack symptoms can be missed, it is of import to continue regular follow-upwards with your primary intendance provider," says Dr. O'Donoghue. She or he might want to lodge periodic ECGs, she says. "If a silent heart attack is identified, this may atomic number 82 to more testing and appropriate treatments to assistance ensure another one doesn't occur and that the eye musculus is protected," says Dr. O'Donoghue.

Being proactive can also help ensure that your middle is healthy and that whatsoever risk factors you have for cardiovascular disease are managed appropriately.

Lifestyle changes, including diet improvements, smoking abeyance, and exercise, tin can assist protect you from additional heart problems, says Dr. O'Donoghue, even if you lot've already had a silent middle attack.

Image: © dragana991/Getty Images

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides admission to our library of archived content. Delight note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of appointment, should ever exist used every bit a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

williamsharge1942.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/can-you-have-a-heart-attack-and-not-know-it

Share this post