5 Common Pre-Heart Attack Symptoms
A heart attack occurs when there is a partial or complete obstruction in blood flow to the heart, causing it to reduce severely or stop altogether. Without immediate treatment, a heart attack may damage the heart muscle or cause death.
Heart attack symptoms are not always sudden, and warning signs can often be seen days, weeks, or even months before the event. Recognizing these signs is essential for early treatment. This article will discuss a heart attack, its causes and risk factors, and pre-heart attack symptoms.
What is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, is a condition in which blood flow to the heart is partially or entirely blocked. When oxygen-rich blood cannot reach the heart, affected areas can be damaged, and the heart muscle can begin to die.
Common causes include coronary artery disease, spasms, and infections that damage the heart muscles. A heart attack is a life-threatening emergency, and recognizing pre-heart attack symptoms is vital to getting timely and sufficient medical treatment. Early detection leads to better treatment outcomes.
What are the Risk Factors for Heart Attacks?
Individuals who have the following risk factors should pay attention to the warning signs of a heart attack:
- Age: Women older than 55 and men older than 45 are more likely to get a heart attack.
- High triglycerides and cholesterol: These conditions can cause the arteries to narrow, restricting blood flow to the heart.
- Other conditions: Conditions like high blood pressure, obesity, autoimmune disorders, and preeclampsia can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks. Obesity is linked with other conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. High blood sugar in conditions like diabetes also increases the risk of getting a heart attack.
- Family history: Individuals with family members who have had heart attacks are at an increased risk of getting one.
- Lifestyle: Smoking, lack of exercise, and unhealthy diet high in animal fats, sugars, and processed foods put individuals at a higher risk for heart attacks. High emotional stress levels also increase the risk of a heart attack.
What are Some Pre Heart Attack Symptoms?
Individuals should be aware of pre-heart attack signs, especially those who are at a greater risk for developing it. Five common signs to look out for include:
1. Fatigue
While normal levels of tiredness can be common, extreme fatigue and weakness can be a sign of more serious underlying conditions. It is important to consult a medical professional if an individual feels sudden, severe fatigue, an inability to perform everyday tasks, or sudden fatigue and windedness after physical activity (such as climbing stairs that didn’t happen before).
Unexplained or prolonged fatigue is a sign of an oncoming heart attack, especially for women.
2. Pain in the Chest, Jaw, Neck, or Arm
Tightness, pinching, squeezing, or extreme pressure and pain in the chest can all be signs of a heart attack. It may occur during physical activity or while sedentary.
Some individuals also have pain that radiates from the chest to the left side of the body, including the throat and jaw. In others, pain in the arm and shoulder can be a sign of a heart attack.
3. Indigestion and Heartburn
Some often overlooked signs of a heart attack include nausea, vomiting, indigestion, stomach aches, and indigestion. These symptoms are often confused with heartburn, food poisoning, or the flu, but they are common signs of a heart attack, especially in women.
If an individual experiences symptoms of indigestion accompanied by a burning sensation in the chest, it is essential to contact a medical professional. While it could be a regular case of heartburn, prolonged chest discomfort could be a heart attack.
4. Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath may occur when the heart cannot adequately pump blood, causing back-ups in the veins leading from the lungs to the heart. This could cause fluid to leak into the lungs, making breathing difficult.
Shortness of breath may occur at any time and may be accompanied by sweating, dizziness, and light-headedness. These could be due to a drop in blood pressure.
5. Heart Palpitations
While occasional heart racing is normal, regular heart palpitations and irregular heartbeats can be warning signs of heart attacks. It is especially crucial to consult a medical professional if this is accompanied by chest pressure and pain, light-headedness, or shortness of breath.
Individuals experiencing the above-mentioned pre-heart attack symptoms should consult a healthcare professional immediately for a heart health check-up, especially if they have one or more risk factors for a heart attack. Book a heart health test with Dr Lal PathLabs today.
FAQs
1. Are cardiac arrest and heart attack the same?
A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are not the same. A heart attack occurs when there is a blockage in blood flow to the heart. In a cardiac arrest, the beating of the heart stops suddenly, often caused by electrical issues in the heart. Pre-cardiac arrest symptoms include dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, and loss of consciousness.
