Heart attacks have a classic list of symptoms: Chest pain, shortness of breath and a feeling of something heavy on the torso. But not always.
The silent heart attacksmore formally known as silent myocardial infarction (SMI), are “silent” because the Symptoms are so mild that people often don’t notice. that were produced.
But that doesn’t mean a silent heart attack can be ignored.
According to medical experts, This can be as dangerous as a traditional one..
In fact, figures collected by the United States National Institute of Health show that Between 70% and 80% of ischemic episodes do not present pain anginal thoracic pain, or any other symptoms. In Spainthis represents about 45% of cases.
Below you will find How to Know if You’re Having a Silent Heart Attack and What to Do About It.
What is a silent heart attack?
A 2015 study with nearly 10,000 volunteers, published in the journal Circulation, compared silent heart attacks to traditional onesand found that asymptomatic people accounted for almost Half of all such heart conditions.
According to Dr. Nicole Weinberg, a cardiologist at Providence Saint John Health Center in the United States, There may be situations where people do not have any symptoms with a silent heart attack.
Nevertheless, There are usually some mild symptoms —although they can be very difficult to recognize in time—.
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These include fatigue, heartburn, chest, back or jaw discomfort, and shortness of breath, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
A Traditional heart attack may have similar symptomsbut it also often includes a feeling of pressure or pain in the chest, arms, neck, back, and jaw.
In addition, the symptoms of a Silent heart attacks can easily be confused with those of other pathologiessuch as with indigestion, a difficult workout, or even a toothache.
And even if the symptoms are not as severe, Weinberg warns that These can be as serious as any other heart attack..
Silent heart attacks are dangerous
Heart attacks, both silent and traditional, occur when There is not enough blood flow to the heartAnd both can be equally dangerous.
In fact, the former could increase the likelihood of having another heart attack, as well as the possibility of a heart failure.
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“It is critical to open a blocked heart artery as soon as it is blocked. so that we are not in a situation where there is a decrease in blood flow and ultimately, scar tissue that impairs someone’s ability to have normal heart function“Weinberg explains.
According to the study of Circulation, silent heart attacks They are more common in men than in women..
However, these are usually more severe in the women, who are more likely to die as a result of one of them, according to its results.
That may be because women — and their doctors — don’t necessarily take the symptoms seriously enough, according to the American Heart Association.
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Researchers have also found that Silent heart attacks are more common in older adults with diabetes.
For example, in a study published in 2012 in The Journal of the American Medical Association14% of the 337 participants with diabetes, experienced a silent heart attack versus 9% of the same population who had a traditional attack.
And with a typical heart attack, doctors may recommend treatments that include surgery, medications and lifestyle changes.
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That’s why, Those who do not present symptoms are just as worrying: If you don’t know you had a heart attack, You won’t be able to treat or prevent them.
What’s more, You may just realize that you have had a heart attack, after experiencing symptoms of heart failuresince these can damage the muscles of the organ.
How to recognize silent heart attacks
If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, you should go to emergency immediately.
But in most cases of silent heart attacks, the Symptoms are so mild or non-existent that no one would necessarily think of going to the doctor..
Diagnosis is usually made during a routine physical exam or during a visit to the doctor due to Persistent symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and indigestion.
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The risk factors are the same as for a traditional, silent heart attack: family history, advanced agelifestyle habits such as smoking or little exercise, obesity and conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
If your doctor suspects you had a silent heart attack, the The next step will probably be to have an electrocardiogram. (ECG), which will show the electrical activity of the heart and reveal damage to the heart caused by a heart attack, says the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions of the United States.
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