When you imagine a heart attack, you probably picture somebody clutching their chest in pain and collapsing to the ground. However, in real life, the experience can be quite different. It's entirely possible to have a heart attack without even realizing it, as the symptoms can be subtle and easily overlooked.
Usually, with heart attacks, you experience the following:
- Chest discomfort (pressure, tightness, heaviness, pain or a squeezing sensation)
- Shortness of breath
- Pain that moves into your jaw or arm
- Cold sweats
- Clammy skin
- Indigestion
- Unexplained, sudden fatigue
- A feeling of impending doom
Symptoms can vary from severe to mild, such as fatigue, slight chest discomfort, heartburn, nausea, arm pain or dizziness, often mistaken for a minor ailment like a virus. However, if you experience a silent heart attack, you might not notice any of these symptoms at all. In this article, expert interventional cardiologist Ankur Gupta, MD, with HonorHealth Heart Care, sheds light on silent heart attacks.
The hidden dangers
The problem is that these nearly undetectable silent heart attacks can cause as much heart damage as regular ones. According to the CDC, one in five is silent, making them a significant threat to unsuspecting individuals.
"Silent heart attacks can be more dangerous than regular ones because you don't realize you need to seek medical care," says Dr. Gupta. "Some only discover they had a previous heart attack when they're being treated for a second one, during evaluations for heart failure symptoms like shortness of breath and leg swelling, through routine EKGs or when undergoing assessments for unrelated medical conditions."
If you experience a silent heart attack and fail to recognize the need for medical attention, you lose the advantages of emergency care, which include:
- Aspirin administration
- Blood pressure control
- Cholesterol regulation
- Prescription of blood thinners
- Procedures to unblock arteries
Together, these measures help lower your risk of heart failure, prevent recurring heart attacks, decrease death rates and improve your quality of life.
Prevention is key
The best way you can avoid a silent heart attack is to lower your risk of having one. That means managing common heart disease risk factors, including:
- Being overweight or obese
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Diabetes
- Chronic kidney disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Smoking, vaping or using chewing tobacco
- Stress
"The best way to prevent a silent heart attack is to treat these underlying conditions and make lifestyle adjustments that promote heart health," Dr. Gupta says.
Although there are some risk factors you can't control, such as advancing age or a family history of heart disease, you can make a significant impact on your heart health by focusing on what you can change.
When to see your doctor
Knowing when to consult your doctor for a silent heart attack is challenging since you won't experience the usual symptoms. However, if you notice signs, like sudden fatigue, especially if you have a family history of heart disease, it's crucial to seek medical attention right away.
If you experience symptoms of a heart attack, don’t hesitate. Call 911 immediately.
When you or your loved ones have a heart or vascular need, the experts at HonorHealth Heart Care are here for you every step of the way. Our team provides comprehensive care, combining medical expertise, clinical innovation and the latest advances in clinical research.
No time to hesitate
Movies often depict heart attacks as sudden and dramatic. However, the reality is that most heart attacks begin gradually with mild discomfort, not sudden and intense pain.
Spotting different heart attack signs
True or false: Symptoms vary between men and women. While chest pain or pressure is commonly associated with heart attacks, there are other important symptoms to recognize.
Tiny stent, big differences
A tiny stent, smaller than a ballpoint pen spring, is revolutionizing heart care for patients with heart attacks and angina.