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.
Shortness of breath can occur with or without chest pain, and it's a common sign of a silent heart attack. You may also feel dizzy or lightheaded — and it's possible you could faint. Though this can happen to both men and women, it's more common for women to experience shortness of breath.
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.
Here's a surprising fact: nearly half of people who have a heart attack don't realize it at the time. These so-called silent heart attacks are only diagnosed after the event, when a recording of the heart's electrical activity (an electrocardiogram or ECG) or another test reveals evidence of damage to the heart.
“I understand that heart attacks have beginnings and on occasion, signs of an impending heart attack may include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, shoulder and/or arm pain and weakness. These may occur hours or weeks before the actual heart attack.
A silent heart attack is a heart attack that occurs without symptoms or with unrecognized symptoms. A person may not know they have had a heart attack until they receive a diagnosis weeks or months later.
- Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest that comes on quickly and won't go away with rest. - Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. - Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
Pre-Heart Attack Symptoms – Female
Men may feel pain and numbness in the left arm or the side of the chest. In women, these symptoms may appear on the right side. Women may experience unexplained exhaustion, or feel drained, dizzy or nauseous. Women may feel upper back pain that travels up into their jaw.
Age (risk increases for men older than 45 and for women older than 55 [or after menopause]) High cholesterol. High blood pressure. Family history of heart attack.
Unfortunately, many people don't even realize they're having a silent heart attack because they're not having obvious symptoms. But a heart attack of any kind is an emergency. You should call 911 right away even if you don't know for sure that you're having a heart attack.
It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath.
While stress can't directly cause a heart attack, it can have a major impact on your heart health, and even trigger an event that feels just like a heart attack. Here's what you need to know about stress-induced cardiomyopathy, as well as the effects of chronic stress on your heart and how to manage it.
Excess weight. Family history of heart disease. High blood pressure. High cholesterol.
Silent heart attacks are usually discovered on an electrocardiogram (ECG), which is a recording of the heart's electrical activity. Damage to the heart's muscle caused by a heart attack shows up as a distinct signature on an ECG.
The people who are most vulnerable to silent heart attacks fall into one of three categories: women, people with diabetes and people who are elderly. "The reason these groups are most at risk is because they don't present with the tell-tale symptom of severe, pounding chest pain," Dr. Kazziha says.
An electrocardiogram (EKG) is the most common initial test and may be given within minutes of your arrival at the hospital. An EKG will check whether you may be having a heart attack. Based on the results of the EKG, your doctor may then order more tests, ask you about your medical history, and do a physical exam.
A heart attack is a medical emergency in which the blood supply to the heart is suddenly blocked. Warning signs that occur a month beforehand could be chest discomfort, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
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.
Warning signs and symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, swelling, fatigue, loss of appetite, and others. Heart failure means the heart has failed to pump the way it should in order to circulate oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
How long can a heart attack last? Heart attack symptoms typically persist for longer than a few minutes. They may go away and come back again, or they may occur intermittently over several hours . In most cases, the symptoms will begin slowly and cause mild pain or discomfort.
It is not possible to stop a heart attack if one is already in progress. The only way to stop a heart attack is to seek emergency medical attention. Some people say that coughing will help to stop a heart attack by keeping the blood flowing. However, the American Heart Association does not endorse this method.
Put Time on Your Side
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.