Learn the Heart Attack Symptoms to Watch Out for
Did you know that heart attacks don't look at age? There are many cases of heart attacks that happen to those who are still young.
The accumulation of fat in the arteries or also called atherosclerosis can cause damage to blood vessels and heart organs. Excessive plaque can cause narrowing or blockage of blood vessels which leads to heart attack, chest pain or angina, and stroke.
Sudden cardiac arrest does not come without warning. The symptoms that are the first signs of a heart attack exist, but the symptoms are often no different from the symptoms of other diseases and maybe that's why many of us ignore them. What are the symptoms of a heart attack that should not be ignored? Here are some of them.
Shortness of breath
The heart has an important role in carrying oxygen throughout the body as well as removing carbon dioxide from the tissues so if blood flow to the heart organ is obstructed, it will affect breathing. When you suddenly feel breathless and short of breath even though you are just doing normal activities, this could be one of the signs of a heart attack. If you feel short of breath after waking up it could also be a sign that something is wrong. Although shortness of breath may be a sign of a heart attack, it does not rule out the possibility that it is a sign or symptom of other diseases and one of them is asthma.
Pain in the chest, arms, and back
Pain in the chest, arms, and back can also be one of the symptoms of a heart attack. During a heart attack, the heart muscle cells begin to run out of oxygen, so the brain will send pain signals through the nervous system. The brain organ may be confused by signals coming from the arm (or shoulder, elbow, jaw, neck and upper back) due to the close proximity of the nervous system.
The pain from these heart attack symptoms most often lasts more than 20 minutes. The pain from heart attack symptoms may be relieved with medication or rest. However, the symptoms may reappear.
In addition, there are also other heart attack symptoms to look out for. For example:
- Restlessness
- Coughing.
- Fainting.
- Lightheadedness and dizziness.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Palpitations (heart beating too fast or irregularly).
- Shortness of breath.
- Profuse sweating.
Some people, especially middle-aged people (over 40), people with diabetes, and women, may experience little or no pain in their chest.
In some cases, they may experience unusual symptoms. For example, shortness of breath, fatigue and weakness. This condition can be considered a silent heart attack, aka an asymptomatic heart attack.
What needs to be emphasized, immediately see a doctor or emergency telephone number when experiencing the above heart attack symptoms. Remember, don't wait until heart attack symptoms develop.