Some estimate that nearly 50% to 80% of all heart attacks are silent.
The people who are most vulnerable to silent heart attacks fall into one of three categories: women, people with diabetes and people who are elderly. "The reason these groups are most at risk is because they don't present with the tell-tale symptom of severe, pounding chest pain," Dr. Kazziha says.
The duration of a silent heart attack can vary. If symptoms do present, a person should seek medical attention immediately. When blood flow to the heart stops for around 15 minutes, the heart can become damaged. After about 30 minutes, the damage is irreversible.
You can have a heart attack and not even know it. A silent heart attack, known as a silent myocardial infarction (SMI), account for 45% of heart attacks and strike men more than women.
A silent heart attack happens when the flow of blood is blocked in the coronary arteries by a build up of plaque.
Because silent heart attacks may go unnoticed, they can cause a significant amount of damage. And without treatment, they can be deadly.
Common heart attack symptoms include: Chest pain that may feel like pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing or aching. Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly. Cold sweat.
A heart attack may strike suddenly, but most people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks beforehand. One of the earliest warning signs of an impending heart attack is chest pain, or angina, that occurs repeatedly because of exertion and is then eased by rest.
People who have a silent heart attack have symptoms not normally associated with a heart attack, mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. They may not realize they've had a heart attack. With a silent heart attack, symptoms can make you feel like: You have the flu.
Others -- women more so than men -- will experience some atypical symptoms as well, which may include fatigue, a general sense of unease, vague discomfort, back or abdominal pain and declining stamina. Both types of symptoms can be experienced months before an actual heart attack occurs.
Most silent ischemia occurs when one or more coronary arteries are narrowed by plaque. It can also occur when the heart is forced to work harder than normal. People who have diabetes or who have had a heart attack are most likely to develop silent ischemia.
You may have a perfectly normal ECG, yet still have a heart condition. If your test is normal but your doctor suspects that you have a heart problem, he may recommend that you have another ECG, or a different type of test to find out for sure.
Seemingly healthy people are “suddenly” having heart attacks because, as it turns out, their arteries are not perfectly healthy and they don't know it. With the proper noninvasive tests, these diseased arteries would have been identified, and the heart attacks wouldn't have happened.
Imaging tests, such as an electrocardiogram or echocardiogram, are the only way to identify a silent heart attack. If you think that you've had a silent heart attack, talk to your health care provider. A review of your symptoms and health history and a physical exam can help your provider decide if you need more tests.
Sudden stress can cause a cardiac event that feels like a heart attack, called takotsubo cardiomyopathy or “broken heart syndrome.” This stress-induced cardiomyopathy isn't associated with the artery blockages that lead to a heart attack, though it may cause your heart to pump inefficiently for up to a month.
Heartburn, angina and heart attack may feel very much alike. Even experienced doctors can't always tell the difference from your medical history and a physical exam. That's why, if you go to the emergency room because of chest pain, you'll immediately have tests to rule out a heart attack.
Signs of a heart attack include:
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. - Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. - Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. (If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately.)
Heart attack signs and symptoms in men and women: Chest pain or discomfort; Shortness of breath; Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back, arm, or shoulder; Feeling nauseous, light-headed, or unusually tired.
Those with an anxiety disorder have most likely experienced a panic or anxiety attack at some point in their lives. The symptoms can closely mimic heart attacks for some people—they may feel chest pain, shortness of breath and heart palpitations, or a racing heartbeat.
“I understand that heart attacks have beginnings and on occasion, signs of an impending heart attack may include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, shoulder and/or arm pain and weakness. These may occur hours or weeks before the actual heart attack.
While the term “mini” heart attack may sound as though it is less severe than other types of heart attack, this condition is still serious and constitutes a medical emergency. Therefore, anyone experiencing heart attack symptoms should seek emergency medical attention.
Heart attacks can vary in severity from mild to massive. A mild heart attack often doesn't cause much permanent heart damage or only affects a relatively small portion of the heart muscle.
Over 50% of heart attacks have "beginning" symptoms that may come and go for days or weeks.
Is sudden cardiac death painful? Some people have chest pain during the initial seconds of sudden cardiac arrest. However, once you lose consciousness, you don't feel pain.