Heart attacks are one of the number one killers of both men and women in the western world and recovery from heart attacks relies largely on how quickly the heart attack was identified so that treatment could begin. For this reason it is highly important to learn to spot their symptoms and to differentiate them from other complaints such as muscle spasms and indigestion. What makes this more difficult however is the existence of the phenomenon known as the ‘silent heart attack’. Silent heart attacks are those which do not show the usual symptoms and so are harder to spot. It is possible for individuals to suffer ‘silent’ heart attacks without ever becoming aware that they have. This is fairly rare however and cases of silent heart attacks actually have a higher mortality rate – for the very fact that they are so hard to spot. Even where heart attacks are not fatal they can lead to nerve damage in the heart and other unpleasant outcomes.

So what are the symptoms of silent heart attack? Well fortunately there are still a few you can spot. The first one is tiredness and shortness of breath. It may well feel more difficult to exert yourself or to perform fairly standard tasks. Upon resting it should feel that this tiredness and shortness of breath subsides, but it will then flare up again upon renewed activity. You may feel ‘sluggish’ and your limbs heavy. Your heart rate will also likely reflect this and be faster than its normal resting rate.

While you may not experience pain in your chest or limbs however you may still feel a slight discomfort. It’s easy to write discomfort off as general achiness or another cause, but if it’s accompanied by the aforementioned breathlessness and tiredness then it’s highly recommended that you seek medical attention. This discomfort will radiate from the chest and spread to the arms, the back, the abdomen, the gut and/or the lower jaw (but not upper jaw). In this sense the symptoms of silent heart attack may very much be simply a ‘muted’ version of the regular symptoms.

Interestingly many sufferers also report a ‘sense’ of impending doom moments before their other symptoms. This may be partially due to the increased cardiac activity and could be related to the feelings of panic caused by a panic attack. While this on its own is certainly no sure indicator of a heart attack, if it’s followed by any of the symptoms of silent heart attack already mentioned then it’s worth looking into.

Those at most risk from a silent heart attack are those with diabetes, who have suffered previous heart attacks, who are overweight, who smoke or who have high blood pressure. If you fall into one of these groups then you should more closely monitor your heart rate and diet. Regardless of your demographic, if you suspect you may be experiencing a heart attack you should seek medical attention immediately.

Mack LeMouse

Copyrighted material; do not reprint without permission.

 

View all articles by Mack LeMouse