How long can you have heart problems without knowing?

People often don't know they've had a silent heart attack until weeks or months later when a healthcare provider finds heart damage. Missing signs or symptoms normally unrelated to a heart attack can make it tricky to identify a silent heart attack.

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Can you have heart disease for years and not know it?

Many people who have coronary heart disease do not have any symptoms and therefore do not know they have problems with their heart. As a result, they do not take the proper medications that could help prevent a heart attack, stroke, or death.

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What are the 4 signs your heart is quietly failing?

Warning signs and symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, swelling, fatigue, loss of appetite, and others.

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Can you go years without knowing you had a heart attack?

Yes. A heart attack can actually happen without a person knowing it. You can understand why it is called a "silent" heart attack.

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What heart conditions can go unnoticed?

Milder septal defects (commonly referred to as a hole in the heart), subaortic stenosis (a restriction on blood pumping out of the left ventricle to the rest of the body), mitral valve prolapse or bicuspid aortic valve can go unnoticed.

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Here are signs that you could be having a ‘silent’ heart attack

31 related questions found

What is mistaken for heart problem?

The chest pressure that accompanies heart attack is often confused with heartburn (acid indigestion). It also may indicate: Angina, when blood supply to the heart muscle is restricted but not blocked. Lung issues, including infection (pneumonia) or a blood clot (pulmonary embolism)

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How do I know if something is wrong with my heart?

Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort (angina) Shortness of breath. Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper belly area or back. Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in the legs or arms if the blood vessels in those body areas are narrowed.

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What does a minor heart attack feel like?

Chest Pain, Pressure, Fullness, or Discomfort

Most heart attacks actually involve only mild pain or discomfort in the center of your chest. You may also feel pressure, squeezing, or fullness. These symptoms usually start slowly, and they may go away and come back.

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How do I know if I'm having mini heart attacks?

SMI warning signs

It can feel like an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, or pain. Discomfort in other upper-body areas, such as one or both arms, the back, the neck, the jaw, or the stomach. Shortness of breath before or during chest discomfort. Breaking out in a cold sweat, or feeling nauseated or lightheaded.

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How long can doctors tell if you've had a heart attack?

How long after a heart attack can doctors use the test? Doctors can test for troponin immediately when an individual presents with symptoms. Troponin levels rise as early as 4 hours after a heart attack and peak between 24 and 48 hours. Increased levels can persist for 7 days or longer, depending on kidney function.

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What are 3 early warning signs your heart is failing?

11 signs you might have heart disease
  • Chest pain. It's the classic sign of a heart attack, yet many people don't realise this could be a medical emergency. ...
  • Feeling sick. ...
  • Stomach pain or indigestion. ...
  • Feeling sweaty. ...
  • Leg pain. ...
  • Arm pain. ...
  • Jaw or back pain. ...
  • Choking sensation.

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What are sneaky signs of heart failure?

Indicators that you may have heart problems include:
  • Dizziness.
  • Changes in skin color (blue or gray tinge)
  • Struggling to catch your breath while doing things that used to be easy or struggling to breathe while lying down.
  • Swelling in your legs, feet or ankles.
  • Fatigue.
  • Coughing and wheezing.
  • Rapid weight gain.
  • Rapid heartbeat.

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What are the first hints of heart failure?

You may have trouble breathing, an irregular heartbeat, swollen legs, neck veins that stick out, and sounds from fluid built up in your lungs. Your doctor will check for these and other signs of heart failure. A test called an echocardiogram is often the best test to diagnose your heart failure.

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At what age do heart problems start?

Heart disease—and the conditions that lead to it—can happen at any age. High rates of obesity and high blood pressure among younger people (ages 35–64) are putting them at risk for heart disease earlier in life.

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Can you live 20 years with heart disease?

In general, about half of all people diagnosed with congestive heart failure will survive 5 years. About 30% will survive for 10 years. In patients who receive a heart transplant, about 21% of patients are alive 20 years later.

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At what age is heart disease more common?

Adults age 65 and older are more likely than younger people to suffer from cardiovascular disease, which is problems with the heart, blood vessels, or both.

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What are silent heart attacks?

A silent heart attack is a heart attack that has few, if any, symptoms or has symptoms not recognized as a heart attack. A silent heart attack might not cause chest pain or shortness of breath, which are typically associated with a heart attack.

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Is my heart OK if the ECG is normal?

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.

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What are the symptoms of a heart problem in a woman?

When to Call 9-1-1. In some women, the first signs and symptoms of heart disease can be: Heart attack: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations)

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What is a pre heart attack?

Pre-Heart Attack Symptoms – Female

Men may feel pain and numbness in the left arm or the side of the chest. In women, these symptoms may appear on the right side. Women may experience unexplained exhaustion, or feel drained, dizzy or nauseous. Women may feel upper back pain that travels up into their jaw.

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How can I test myself for a heart attack?

- Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest that comes on quickly and won't go away with rest. - Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. - Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.

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What happens a month before a heart attack?

A heart attack is a medical emergency in which the blood supply to the heart is suddenly blocked. Warning signs that occur a month beforehand could be chest discomfort, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

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Is something wrong with my heart or is it anxiety?

Although chest pain is common to both a panic attack and a heart attack, the characteristics of the pain often differ. During a panic attack, chest pain is usually sharp or stabbing and localized in the middle of the chest. Chest pain from a heart attack may resemble pressure or a squeezing sensation.

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What are the five heart disease symptoms you should never ignore?

Often, your body sends signs that your heart needs care—symptoms you should not ignore. These include chest pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, loss of consciousness, and dizziness. If you have experienced any of these symptoms, make an appointment to see your doctor.

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What does the beginning of heart failure feel like?

Typical signs of heart failure include: Breathlessness or Shortness of Breath (Dyspnea) When the heart begins to fail, blood backs up in the veins attempting to carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. As fluid pools in the lungs, it interferes with normal breathing.

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