Watch out for these heart attack symptoms that can occur up to a month beforehand!
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Every day, 21 Australians die from heart attacks.
The tell-tale signs of a heart attack are discomfort or pain in the chest that radiates to one or both arms, back or neck. Another sign is shortness of breath or difficulty breathing or even a sense of impending doom.
It's helpful to learn about these signs because if you have them, you need to go to the emergency room right away.
But not all heart attacks come on so quickly, according to one study published in the journal Circulation.
Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences found that 95 per cent of participants reported having unusual symptoms for up to a month before their heart attacks occurred.
These symptoms as reported by respondents are:
So, if you’ve previously been identified as high-risk by your doctor, take note!
But these aren’t the only warning signs for heart attacks.
UK-based insurance company Vitality’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Anushka Patchava explained that chest-area symptoms such as pain, tightness, and heaviness could signal a lack of blood reaching the muscles of the heart.
‘Other symptoms of cardiovascular disease might be breathlessness, heart palpitations (when someone can feel their heartbeat).’ she said.
‘This can lead to anxiety, hot sweats and dizziness and feeling faint, as well as tiredness. All signs that the body is not getting enough oxygen.’
Improper circulation could also manifest through weaknesses in the arms and legs and even swelling, according to Dr Patchava.
‘With moderate and severe vascular conditions, it is also possible that an individual might experience swollen limbs. Extremities, such as toes or fingers, can go blue which could be a potential sign that you are at risk of a heart attack.’
‘While chest pain is the most common symptom, other symptoms such as shortness of breath, feeling or being sick and back or jaw pain can also occur.’
There are also a host of factors that can cause one to be predisposed to heart attacks — the first of which is smoking.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, smoking is the current leading cause of preventable disease and death.
Smoking increases one’s risk for heart disease by elevating blood pressure, lowering good cholesterol (High-Density Lipoproteins or HDL) in the body, and lowering tolerance for physical activity.
‘Other (factors) include being overweight and drinking too much alcohol. In addition to this, there might be metabolic factors, such as high cholesterol or diabetes.’
‘High stress can lead to high blood pressure, which is a cause of CVD and a contributing factor to heart attacks.’
Dr Patchava says it’s important to deal with risk factors like smoking and stress by using methods like physical activities such as exercise or mental health techniques like mindfulness and meditation.
She added that it’s also important to remember the links between mental health problems, like depression, which can contribute to increased risk of heart and circulatory disease.
‘If you have a close relative with heart disease you may be likely to suffer from it.’ she added.
We highly encourage you to seek a professional medical opinion to find out more about heart attacks and what can be done to lower the risk of it happening.
If you or anyone you know are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, please call 000 immediately.
Meanwhile, you might find this article on the warning signs of a minor stroke helpful.
So, what is your reaction to this story? Do you know of other warning signs?
Share them with us in the comments section below!
Source: YouTube/7News Australia
The tell-tale signs of a heart attack are discomfort or pain in the chest that radiates to one or both arms, back or neck. Another sign is shortness of breath or difficulty breathing or even a sense of impending doom.
It's helpful to learn about these signs because if you have them, you need to go to the emergency room right away.
But not all heart attacks come on so quickly, according to one study published in the journal Circulation.
Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences found that 95 per cent of participants reported having unusual symptoms for up to a month before their heart attacks occurred.
These symptoms as reported by respondents are:
- Sleep disturbance (48 per cent)
- Shortness of breath (42 per cent)
- Indigestion (39 per cent)
- Anxiety (35.5 per cent)
- Heaviness in the arms or legs (24.9 per cent)
- Changes in thinking (23.9 per cent)
- Loss of appetite (21.9)
So, if you’ve previously been identified as high-risk by your doctor, take note!
The University of Arkansas for Medical Science research also revealed less than a third of women said they felt chest discomfort before a heart attack. Credit: YouTube/Mayo Clinic
But these aren’t the only warning signs for heart attacks.
UK-based insurance company Vitality’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Anushka Patchava explained that chest-area symptoms such as pain, tightness, and heaviness could signal a lack of blood reaching the muscles of the heart.
‘Other symptoms of cardiovascular disease might be breathlessness, heart palpitations (when someone can feel their heartbeat).’ she said.
‘This can lead to anxiety, hot sweats and dizziness and feeling faint, as well as tiredness. All signs that the body is not getting enough oxygen.’
Improper circulation could also manifest through weaknesses in the arms and legs and even swelling, according to Dr Patchava.
‘With moderate and severe vascular conditions, it is also possible that an individual might experience swollen limbs. Extremities, such as toes or fingers, can go blue which could be a potential sign that you are at risk of a heart attack.’
‘While chest pain is the most common symptom, other symptoms such as shortness of breath, feeling or being sick and back or jaw pain can also occur.’
There are also a host of factors that can cause one to be predisposed to heart attacks — the first of which is smoking.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, smoking is the current leading cause of preventable disease and death.
Dr Patchava says smoking is one major factor for predisposition to heart attacks. Credit: YouTube/SBS News
Smoking increases one’s risk for heart disease by elevating blood pressure, lowering good cholesterol (High-Density Lipoproteins or HDL) in the body, and lowering tolerance for physical activity.
‘Other (factors) include being overweight and drinking too much alcohol. In addition to this, there might be metabolic factors, such as high cholesterol or diabetes.’
‘High stress can lead to high blood pressure, which is a cause of CVD and a contributing factor to heart attacks.’
Dr Patchava says it’s important to deal with risk factors like smoking and stress by using methods like physical activities such as exercise or mental health techniques like mindfulness and meditation.
She added that it’s also important to remember the links between mental health problems, like depression, which can contribute to increased risk of heart and circulatory disease.
‘If you have a close relative with heart disease you may be likely to suffer from it.’ she added.
If you or anyone you know are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, please call 000 immediately.
Meanwhile, you might find this article on the warning signs of a minor stroke helpful.
So, what is your reaction to this story? Do you know of other warning signs?
Share them with us in the comments section below!
Source: YouTube/7News Australia
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