Silent Heart Attacks - Early Symptoms and Treatment

Silent Heart Attacks:

The silent myocardial infarction (SMI), as medically referred to, is a serious and life-threatening event that has the appearance of being merely temporary. Nearly half of all people mistake heart attacks for less serious problems, resulting in unnecessary deaths. An estimated 45% of incidents involve silent heart attacks. Typically, men are struck by them more often than women.

The symptoms of a silent heart attack are far milder and don't include the severe symptoms of an acute heart attack, such as chest pain, backaches, nausea, sweating, etc. Heart attacks can also appear brief and insignificant, which gives people the impression that they are experiencing other symptoms. In the end, many people ignore such situations at their peril.

Silent symptoms can be easier to overlook because they are not only less dramatic, but also less painful and uncomfortable.

It is often too late to help when a silent heart attack occurs. A prolonged period in which the blood flow is disrupted can cause severe injuries to the heart. The best way to identify a silent heart attack and receive help before it is too late is through the steps outlined below.

How do you detect a silent heart attack?

One feels full, uncomfortable, or there is tension in the chest 

Heart attacks are typically accompanied by only mild pain in the centre of the chest. Additionally, there might be a sense of pressure. There may be a feeling that your chest is being squeezed. The slow onset and intermittent nature of such symptoms are possible. A feeling of heartburn may occur.

An uncomfortable feeling in certain body parts

Other parts of the body may also exhibit symptoms of a heart attack besides the chest area. It is possible to feel discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach for some people. It is difficult to gauge symptoms among individuals because they can vary widely. Some people describe back pain as the sensation of having a rope tied around their bodies.

Having breathing problems and feeling dizzy

A simple activity can leave you feeling exhausted as if you have run many miles. Heart failure results from the body not being able to pump oxygenated blood into it. It is common for silent heart attacks to cause shortness of breath, whether or not chest discomfort is present. Dizziness and fainting are other common symptoms.

Also possible are dizziness or light-headedness - and fainting. Shortness of breath is more common in women than in men, even though it can happen to both.

Feeling unable to complete simple tasks

Do not attempt simple activities, such as making your bed or walking your pet, if you experience difficulty or unusual exhaustion. A silent heart attack may be accompanied by these subtle signs.

The feeling of being nauseous and cold sweats

Sleeping can lead to symptoms including nausea and cold sweats, which can cause people to wake up. Many people ignore these warning signs due to the similarity of the symptoms to the flu infection. Seek emergency help as soon as possible if there is any doubt that your symptoms are not the flu.

Nonetheless, preventive measures are the best way to counteract these symptoms. Regularly check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels for high blood pressure or dangerous levels.

Who is more prone to silent heart attacks?

A silent heart attack can be caused by several conditions.  People with the following risk factors are at greater risk:

• Being a past victim of a heart attack
• Having suffered from angina
• A person with diabetes
• Patients over 70 years of age who have undergone coronary bypass surgery

Silent Heart Attack treatment

Significant coronary artery disease (CAD) can manifest as a silent heart attack. Plaque buildup and atherosclerosis are characteristics of this disease.

• You should not assume the less serious nature of your condition merely because you have not noticed any overt symptoms. The treatment you receive will not be any different than that delivered to those who have a classic heart attack. As a matter of fact, most of the damage to the heart can be reduced by prompt emergency treatment.
• Like any other person who has survived a heart attack, you would receive the same general treatment if you suffered a silent heart attack. In a treatment, the following would be addressed:
• By taking medications and undergoing revascularization (with stents or bypass surgery) you can prevent further ischemia.
• In sum, preventing heart failure (a condition where the heart muscle cannot pump adequate blood throughout the body) should be a priority.
• Heart rhythm abnormalities (cardiac arrhythmias): preventing deaths

Cardiovascular Stress Testing

Additional treatment for people who have had a silent heart attack may be necessary if a cardiac stress test has indicated that they need more care. Two important purposes are served by the stress test:

First of all, assessing your unique threshold for exercise can provide your physician with more accurate information about your risk for ischemia. Thus, the rehabilitation and treatment efforts can be aimed in the right direction. As a second benefit, you can respond quickly to ischemia if it exists by recognizing the signs of it. If you experience angina, you should take nitroglycerin when required.