Men age 45 and older and women age 55 and older are more likely to have a heart attack than are younger men and women. Tobacco use. This includes smoking and long-term exposure to secondhand smoke. If you smoke, quit.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of heart attacks. CHD is a condition in which the coronary arteries (the major blood vessels that supply the heart with blood) become clogged with deposits of cholesterol. These deposits are called plaques.
Age. The majority of heart attack deaths occur in patients ages 65 and older, but a man's risk begins to increase at 45 (for women, it starts at 55).
Eating a diet high in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol has been linked to heart disease and related conditions, such as atherosclerosis. Also, too much salt (sodium) in the diet can raise blood pressure. Not getting enough physical activity can lead to heart disease.
Noninvasive tests help identify who's really at risk for a heart attack. 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.
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint. You may also break out into a cold sweat.
The Effect of Anxiety on the Heart
Rapid heart rate (tachycardia) – In serious cases, can interfere with normal heart function and increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Increased blood pressure – If chronic, can lead to coronary disease, weakening of the heart muscle, and heart failure.
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.)
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes – or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body.
The primary reason is the prevalent sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet. Modern lifestyle ups the risk of heart attacks among the youth.
Stress may lead to high blood pressure, which can pose a risk for heart attack and stroke. Stress also may contribute to such cardiovascular disease risks as smoking, overeating and lack of physical activity. "Chronic stress has been shown to be associated with increased cardiovascular events," Schiffrin said.
How long can a heart attack last? Heart attack symptoms typically persist for longer than a few minutes. They may go away and come back again, or they may occur intermittently over several hours .
No, there is not a fast way to stop a heart attack without seeking emergency medical treatment at a hospital. Online you'll find many “fast” heart attack treatments. However, these “fast” treatments are not effective and could be dangerous by delaying emergency medical treatment.
Mild heart attack symptoms might only occur for two to five minutes then stop with rest. A full heart attack with complete blockage lasts much longer, sometimes for more than 20 minutes.
However, extreme fear can cause a heart attack in very rare cases. This phenomenon is called fear-induced stress cardiomyopathy, or broken heart syndrome. It's triggered by stressful events or extreme emotions, says interventional cardiologist Dr. Gary Nash.
Location of pain
Both panic and heart attacks cause chest discomfort, but there is a difference. “With a heart attack, pain radiates to other areas like the arm, jaw or neck,” Dr. Miller says. “If it's a panic attack,” she notes, “pain will typically stay in the chest.”
If Low Power Mode is turned on, you won't receive any high or low heart rate or irregular rhythm notifications. Learn more about Low Power Mode. Apple Watch cannot detect heart attacks. If you ever experience chest pain, pressure, tightness, or what you think is a heart attack, call emergency services immediately.
Symptoms and what it feels like
The symptoms of an NSTEMI heart attack may resemble a regular heart attack. They include : pressure-like pain in the chest that lasts more than 10 minutes. pain that radiates to either arm, neck, or jaw.
The longer your heart doesn't have blood flow, the more damage that occurs. Because silent heart attacks may go unnoticed, they can cause a significant amount of damage. And without treatment, they can be deadly.
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.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
You may not even know you've had a silent heart attack until weeks or months after it happens. It's best to know what's normal for your body and get help when something doesn't feel right. Knowing the subtle signs of a silent heart attack can help you identify one.
Most people survive their first heart attack and return to their normal lives to enjoy many more years of productive activity. But having a heart attack does mean you need to make some changes in your life.