Depending on case definitions and timing criteria, 17–41% of all SCD events occur during nighttime hours. Patients are in a resting state, with decreased metabolism, heart rate and blood pressure, and in the absence of daytime triggers, presumably at the lowest likelihood of suffering lethal arrhythmias.
Researchers suspect sleep apnea causes abnormal heart rhythms, which lead to sudden cardiac death, for a number of reasons. “Sleep apnea may lower oxygen levels, activate the fight-or-flight response and change pressure in the chest when the upper airway closes, stressing the heart mechanically,” he explains.
Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops beating. Without immediate medical treatment, sudden cardiac death will occur within minutes. The risk of death is higher during sleep simply because the emergency medical response is usually too late.
Usually, a blood clot causes a heart attack by keeping blood from flowing through one of your coronary arteries. Less often, a coronary artery spasm can cut off your blood flow. Heart attacks can happen when you're asleep or awake.
Some arrhythmias that can happen with sleep apnea are especially severe and can stop your heart. That stoppage is a life-threatening condition known as sudden cardiac death.
sleep disturbances. weakness that occurs suddenly. extreme shortness of breath. nausea, indigestion, or other digestive upsets.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is death due to a cardiovascular cause that occurs within one hour of the onset of symptoms.
Symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest are immediate and severe and include: Sudden collapse. No pulse. No breathing.
Prior to a sudden cardiac arrest episode, patients may have discomfort in their chest, body weakness, shorter breathing patterns, and palpitations. During a sudden cardiac arrest, patients might feel like their heart is racing or feel dizzy, but the majority of patients do not have any prior symptoms.
Warning signs and symptoms can appear up to two weeks before cardiac arrest takes place. Chest pain is most commonly reported by men, while women commonly report shortness of breath. You may also have unexplained fainting or dizziness, fatigue or a racing heart.
In younger people, the main risk factors are genetic arrhythmias, problems with the structure of the heart or coronary arteries, heart inflammation, and substance use. In older adults, the main risk factors are coronary heart disease and other heart conditions.
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
Symptoms that indicate a risk for SCA
Racing heart, palpitations, or irregular heartbeat. Dizziness, lightheadedness, or extreme fatigue with exercise. Chest pain or discomfort with exercise. Excessive shortness of breath during exercise.
When a person experiences sudden cardiac arrest, quick action (within two to three minutes) is needed to save their life or prevent irreparable brain damage. The two most effective rapid responses are cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Sudden cardiac death describes the unexpected natural death from a cardiac cause within a short time period, generally ≤1 hour from the onset of symptoms, in a person without any prior condition that would appear fatal.
Both panic attacks and heart attacks can wake you from sleep.
FATIGUE.
Feeling worn out after a sleepless night or a stressful day is normal. But women can feel fatigued a month out before having a heart attack, Harvard Health Publishing reports. According to the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute, this sign is especially prominent in women.
Cardiophobia is defined as an anxiety disorder of persons characterized by repeated complaints of chest pain, heart palpitations, and other somatic sensations accompanied by fears of having a heart attack and of dying.
Although the number sounds scary, it must be understood that not everyone suffering from heart disease has a 100% mortality rate. If given early treatment, more than 90% of people can survive a heart attack - or myocardial infarction.
A silent heart attack is a heart attack that has few, if any, symptoms or has symptoms not recognized as a heart attack. A silent heart attack might not cause chest pain or shortness of breath, which are typically associated with a heart attack.
SMI warning signs
It can feel like an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, or pain. Discomfort in other upper-body areas, such as one or both arms, the back, the neck, the jaw, or the stomach. Shortness of breath before or during chest discomfort. Breaking out in a cold sweat, or feeling nauseated or lightheaded.
Epidemiology of SCA and Its Survivors
Survival to hospital discharge after EMS-treated OHCA is estimated at 10.8% (≈19 913 individuals per year)10 to 11.4% (≈21 019 individuals per year). The annual incidence of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is estimated at 209 000 individuals.