Would You Recognize the Signs of a Heart Attack?

Heart disease, in 2023, continues to be the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States today as well as across the globe. Those with heart disease are more likely to experience a heart attack. While the survival rate for heart attacks is high, it is higher amongst those who are with others when their heart attack strikes and who are able to recognize the signs and get medical attention quickly. However, no two heart attacks are exactly alike, and recognizing the signs can mean different things in different situations.

Heart attacks can have a sudden onset, without any apparent cause at all. On the other hand, they can also build up gradually and with such a slow onset of symptoms that many of those who have heart attacks are not aware of what is happening until it is too late. Because immediate care is absolutely essential for the survival of a heart attack, being able to recognize these symptoms is of the utmost importance, particularly if you know you are at a heightened risk of heart attack.

Signs to Know and Recognize that could signal an oncoming heart attack. These symptoms require emergency medical attention:

• Chest discomfort – You’ve likely heard the term “chest pain” frequently used when describing the onset of a heart attack, but many heart attack survivors report that it’s not painful at all. It is often described instead as more of a “chest pressure,” where the patient experiences feelings of squeezing, fullness, and yes, sometimes pain.
• Shortness of breath – Some may experience fatigue, exhaustion, or shortness of breath and trouble breathing right before a heart attack. This symptom tends to present more often in women than in men and can start appearing a few months before an impending heart attack.
• Pressure and Odd Sensations – you may have heard that in a person who is about to have a heart attack, their left arm will go numb or tingle. While this can be true, heart attack sufferers have actually reported this discomfort throughout the body, particularly in areas directly surrounding the chest, such as the back, shoulders, neck and jaw, stomach, and one or both arms.
• Gastrointestinal problems – Though less common, some people report feeling nauseous and having problems with indigestion before a heart attack, and even throwing up in some cases. This symptom can be particularly dangerous because people are often too quick to mistake it for heartburn and reach for the medicine cabinet instead of seeking proper emergency treatment.

If you are concerned that you or someone you love may be at risk for a heart attack, contact the physicians at Tampa Cardiovascular Associates today by calling (813) 975-2800, and we’d be happy to get you on the right track toward managing your condition and improving your cardiovascular health.

Visit www.tampacardio.com to learn more.