According to the American Heart Association report, In the U.S only, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds. In this case, an area of the heart doesn't get enough blood because the valves are blocked.
It is very important to help someone right away if they are having a heart attack. People can save their own lives by quickly acting on the heart attack symptoms. If you want to get the right help, time is of the key.
Now let's talk about how you can tell someone if your heart isn't going well. You should know these heart attack symptoms to get help quickly and stay healthy. Tell an adult right away if you see these signs so they can help you.
General Common Symptoms
Chest Pain or Discomfort
If something is wrong with your heart, you might feel like your chest hurts or is heavy. The pain could also move to your arm, back, neck, head, or stomach. [Source]
Even if this heart attack symptom is mild or rare, tell an adult since it may indicate a serious cardiac condition.
Breath Shortness
You should not ignore the fact that you are short of breath if you think you might be having a heart attack.
This can happen before or during chest pain, according to Harvard Medical School. You might need to get some air or be short of breath. Paul Casey, MD and chief medical officer of RUSH University Medical Center says that being short of breath when you're doing something can also cause heart attack symptoms.
Cold Sweat
A woman may have heart attack symptoms early if she starts to sweat in the cold even when she isn't doing much.
The American College of Cardiology says that another sign to be aware of is sweat that doesn't dry out.
Nausea or Vomiting
People who are having a heart attack may feel sick or start vomiting for no reason, this is more likely to happen to women. So pay attention to any other heart attack symptoms if this happens to you.
Less Common Symptoms
Some People Feel Weakness
As you know from the above, chest pain, shortness of breath, and cold sweat are all common heart attack symptoms. You should know about some other signs, though, that don't happen as often.
Dr. William E. Lawson MD says you should not ignore that you are feeling very tired and that it is happening at the same time as other heart attack symptoms.
Some People Also Feel Dizzy or Lightheaded
Many people don't know that feeling dizzy or lightheaded can be one of heart attack symptoms.
You might feel like you are going to pass out, or have trouble standing up straight, or just feel off. It is possible that your brain is not getting enough blood because of this.
May have Back or Jaw Pain in Some Cases
When someone is having heart attack symptoms, they might also feel pain in their jaw or back. Harvard Medical School says that some people may feel pain between their shoulder blades, while others may think they have a toothache because they feel pain in their jaw or teeth.
This kind of pain can happen even if you don't have chest pain, and senior people and women are more likely to experience it.
Arm Pain or Numbness
According to Mayo Clinic, other heart attack symptoms that might make you feel arms hurt, feel numb, or are uncomfortable. It could begin on your shoulders and move to your arms.
Here is What Cardiologist Todd Villines Say About Heart Attack Symptoms
Symptoms by Gender and Age
1. Woman
It is helpful to know that heart attack symptoms can be different for men and women of different ages. The American Heart Association says that women may have different signs of a heart attack than men.
For example, women may feel sick, vomit, be tired, or have pain in their back or neck. The chest pain might not be as bad or might not happen at all sometimes.
Famous cardiologist Todd Villines warns people not to mistake these signs for acid reflux or stress because they could mean you are having a heart attack.
2. Man
Men often have chest pain and trouble breathing, which are standard heart attack symptoms, but they often feel bad about showing these symptoms or ignore them.
This could make it take longer for them to get the care they need. Some guys don’t prefer to go to a doctor because they don't think their symptoms are that bad.
3. Older Adults
As you get older, the heart attack symptoms might not be as clear. You might feel tired, confused, or weak instead of having chest pain.
Some senior citizens might think that these signs are just part of getting older and not getting help right away, but this can be very dangerous.
Prevention and Risk Factors
It's important to know the signs of a heart attack and get help right away, but it's also important to work on keeping them from happening. You can lower your risk by taking care of things you can change.
Modifiable Risk Factors
● Smoking cessation: A lot of people are addicted to smoking, according to the CDC, because it hurts your heart and makes you more likely to have a heart attack.
● Diet and exercise for weight management and cholesterol control: As the Mayo Clinic says, you can also lose weight and keep it off by eating well and keeping active, both of which are good for your heart.
● Managing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes: As the American Heart Association says, it's also important to keep an eye on diabetes and high blood pressure. These health problems might actually make you more likely to get heart disease and have heart attack symptoms.
Non-modifiable Risk Factors
● Age: It is also important to note that some things you can't change can also make you more likely to have a heart attack. For guys over 45 and women over 55, getting older is one of them.
● Family history of heart disease: If heart disease runs in your family, you may be more likely to get it too.
To keep your heart healthy, eat a lot of different kinds of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. You should also exercise everyday for at least 30 min.
Don't forget to take care of your stress and relax by getting counseling or using relaxation methods. All of these things can help lower heart attack symptoms.
Frequently Ask Questions
Q1: Is it possible to have a heart attack without having chest pain?
Ans: Yes, especially for women and older people, it is possible to have a heart attack without having chest pain.
Q2: Is feeling dizzy always a sign of a heart attack?
Ans: Not always. When paired with other heart attack symptoms like chest pain or breath shortness, dizziness may suggest a shortage of brain blood flow.
Q3. Are the heart attack symptoms the same for everyone, no matter what gender or age?
Ans: No, heart attack symptoms vary by age and gender.
Q4. Can exercise or physical activity cause heart attack symptoms?
Ans: If someone already has heart disease or blockages, doing a lot of intense physical exercise could set off heart attack symptoms.
Q.5 Are my heartburn or indigestion a heart attack?
Ans: It might be because of the similarity in symptoms. If you’re confused then I would suggest you seek a medical doctor immediately.