Are you suffering from high blood pressure? Are you scared of getting a heart attack? Have you heard that severe damage to the heart can be avoided if proper treatment is obtained in the initial stages of heart attack? But then, is it that you are unaware regarding the warning signs of heart attack?
You need not worry as this write-up shall help you recognize the warning signs of heart attack which can aid you in minimizing the damage to your heart muscles.
This brief deals with 8 warning signs of heart attack which if recognized well in time can avert a fatal situation. Below are mentioned 8 commonly observed warning signs of heart attack:
- Chest Discomfort or Pain: Chest pain is a chief indication of a heart attack. You will experience discomfort in the center of the chest. This discomfort may last for more than a few minutes or may go away and reappear. You may notice pain disappearing with rest. Discomfort is felt like squeezing, pressure, fullness or pain. This sensation is described as a feeling like an elephant is standing on the chest.
- Discomfort or Pain in Other Areas of the Upper Body: Pain or discomfort is experienced in one or both the arms, neck, back, or jaw. You may feel sharp, intermittent or dull aching pains. These pains can be noticed days and weeks before the attack. These pains may be accompanied with numbness, tightness, or tingling.
- Shortness of Breath: Shortness of breath is the first sign of a serious heart disease. It may be experienced along with or without chest discomfort. Shortness of breath may be noticed at rest or when performing slight exertion. Inability to draw a deep breath could be a result of lack of oxygen circulation in the blood due to a weak heart. You may also feel dizzy.
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat: Sudden episodes of rapid, irregular heartbeat and pulse can occur weeks or months prior to a heart attack. Irregular heartbeat along with an accelerated number of beats per minute indicates a serious issue.
- Nausea, Pain in stomach and Indigestion: Cardiovascular symptoms are usually confused with gastrointestinal symptoms. In several cases, the body transmits the pain signals down into the abdomen causing pain in the stomach. Lack of oxygen and poor circulation can cause nausea, indigestion, or vomiting. Characteristic of this pain shall be better on rest and worse on exertion. Symptoms are episodic.
- Extreme fatigue: Sudden fatigue lasting for days, weeks, or even months can indicate you of an impending heart attack. Fatigue is worse on exertion. Fatigue can be a sign of extra load on the heart.
- Anxiety attacks and Insomnia: Decrease in oxygen levels may excite slight changes which may lead to anxiety and insomnia. You will experience anxiety and insomnia months prior to the heart attack. This can be an indication given by the body, making you aware that something is wrong.
- Unusual, excessive sweating: Even without any exertion you shall notice unusual sweating, even when you are not exercising. Unusual sweating is a sign which precedes a heart attack. You will observe flu-like symptoms, cold skin or sweat not accompanied by fever which lasts longer than a week. These symptoms appear intermittently.
The warning signs of heart attack may vary from person to person. It may not always be severe and sudden. But the above mentioned warning signs are seen in most of the cases hence, if you are able to identify even some of the warning signs of heart attack, you may save a life.
