Health Blog Details

Heart attacks are one of the increasingly common types of heart problems most people face today. It can happen to anybody at any time and could be life-threatening as people often don’t recognize the warning signs. Hence, it is essential to know them so that you can take care. This article will explain heart attack symptoms and how to identify early signs.

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack is a condition that occurs when the blood flow to your heart is blocked. There is a chance that your heart muscle may die because it is not getting enough oxygen and nutrients. It can happen suddenly or gradually with time.

What are Heart Attack Symptoms?

If you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms, it might be because you are experiencing a heart attack.

• Chest pain or discomfort - It is usually felt in the center of the chest, you might feel an ache in your chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and returns.

• Upper body pressure, tightness, fullness, or heaviness - This feeling may start in the chest and spread to other areas of the body. It may feel like a weight on your chest and shoulders.

• Shortness of breath(with or without chest discomfort) - It may be sudden and intense or happen gradually over time. It can sometimes feel like someone is sitting on your chest, making it hard to breathe deeply and thoroughly from your diaphragm.

• Aches in the jaw, back, neck, or stomach.

• Lightheadedness or feeling weak.

• Breaking out in sweats or cold sweats.

• Nausea or vomiting

The symptoms may vary from person to person. Some people have mild or no signs yet can have silent heart attacks, which can be more dangerous as you may not be able to identify it for weeks or even a few months.

Early Signs of Heart Attack

Heart attacks have many signs that people usually mistake for heartburn, muscle pull, or chest pain. Neglecting such early signs of heart attacks can cause devastating health consequences. So, it is better to be cautious when you experience any and take medical help if it is severe.

These can also be signs of other health conditions, but if they last for more than a few minutes and don’t go away, you shouldn’t hesitate to call an ambulance.

Is Heart Attack Only Seen in Men?

Men are generally believed to be more prone to heart attacks than women, but that isn’t the case. In women, heart attack symptoms are usually overlooked, which propagates the misconception.

Another reason might be that the warning signs in males and females can be different sometimes. Pre-heart attack symptoms male is the most common signs such as chest pain, heartburn or indigestion, pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders, and shortness of breath.

Pre-Heart Attack Symptoms of Female

Heart attacks are most likely to occur if you feel more than one of the following symptoms as a female:

• Unusual fatigue

• Discomfort in neck or shoulder

• Unusual shortness of breath

• Upper abdominal pressure 

• Vomiting

• Back Pain

• Fainting

• Dizziness

Pregnancy-Related Heart Attacks

Heart attacks during pregnancy, labor, or postpartum are primarily high in women aged 30 or above. Blood pressure and heart rate during delivery can drastically change, putting additional strain on the heart muscle. Women with a history of heart disease may experience worsening conditions and have more severe signs at any time during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum. Even after a normal pregnancy, there are risks of cardiac complications within a year or so. The heart attack symptoms during pregnancy are:

• Fatigue

• Severe shortness of breath

• Increased heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute

• Swelling of feet and arms

• Difficulty breathing when lying flat

• Persistent cough

Tips on Taking Care of Cardiac Attacks

If you think you are experiencing a cardiac attack:

• Don’t wait for symptoms to get worse before calling for help

• Call immediately for emergency assistance

• Stay on the phone with emergency responders until an ambulance arrives

• Don’t drive yourself to the hospital because this could cause your condition to worsen and lead to cardiac arrest 

Getting immediate medical assistance and treatment from the best cardiac hospital could save your life or prevent further health consequences. Knowing your symptoms and how they compare to the common ones is essential. This will help you take action and get treatment as soon as possible. It is always better to be safe than sorry.