Symptoms of a heart attack

Although about ¼ of infarcts will present without showing any previous symptoms, specialists estimate that in the rest of the cases there are gradual signs that increase with the passage of minutes until finally the heart collapses. It may take about an hour for this to happen, but if the heart attack is detected and treated in that period of time, the chances of survival and recovery are greater than 90%.

Being able to quickly identify the symptoms of a heart attack will make the difference between life and death, so if one or more of the signs described below are present, it is advisable to go to a medical center as soon as possible for urgent care .

There are signs that tell us that something is happening with our heart, some of them appear minutes before the heart attack while others can manifest even months in advance. If these symptoms of a heart attack appear, it is essential that you go urgently to a health center:

Pain in the chest and other areas

This is perhaps the best known and most widespread heart attack symptom. Pain in the chest area, around the chest, usually presents as intense pressure in the heart area, some patients describe it as if they were twisting this organ and sometimes it can also be accompanied by burning. The pain can occur continuously for at least 15 minutes or be intermittent, spreading to other areas such as the shoulder and arm, usually on the left side, back, neck or jaw.

It is important to be clear that the pain does not always have to be very intense, and still be a heart attack. Therefore, in the event of any discomfort of this type that appears suddenly at rest or after physical activity, it deserves immediate medical attention.

Difficulty breathing

The feeling that we are short of breath or that we feel fatigued is a clear sign that something may be happening with our heart. Although together with chest pain it can indicate the imminent presence of a heart attack, this symptom usually occurs in patients with heart problems months before an attack . If you notice that you get too fatigued, that any physical effort leaves you without air and that you are not breathing as before, it is advisable to visit your doctor.

Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or feeling faint

Severe pain in the chest and other areas and the sensation of shortness of breath can cause other symptoms of a heart attack such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting or feeling faint. This should not be confused with indigestion or gastric discomfort, if the above symptoms are present it is time to go to the emergency room.

Excessive sweating

This symptom can appear before the attack and even a few days before it. It is characterized by cold sweating for no apparent cause or excessive for no reason. This occurs because the heart, which does not receive good blood circulation, must work more which causes the body temperature to rise and therefore sudden sweats are manifested.

Yes! Going immediately to a health center and requesting urgent medical attention when one or more of these symptoms appear is very important, remember that more than 90% of the people who are treated quickly manage to save themselves. Even if it is a false alarm or any other condition, it is essential to pay attention to what could be the symptoms of a heart attack and seek specialized help.

In the event that you cannot go yourself to a center, do not hesitate to contact the emergency service in your country to request immediate attention by means of an ambulance.

The myocardial infarction can affect both men and women, although they are those first who are more likely to suffer them to reaching middle age, while the woman is not at such a high so far in menopause is at risk. This condition, as well as other heart diseases, are more common in people who have a number of habits and characteristics.

These are the factors that increase the risk of heart attacks :

• Be a smoker
• Having high cholesterol .
• Having high blood pressure .
• Being obese or overweight.
• Lead a sedentary life with absence of physical activity.
• Being diabetic
• Abusing alcohol or drugs.
• Have an immediate family member who has suffered a heart attack.

In any of these cases, it is recommended to take the necessary measures to prevent a heart attack and thus improve the quality of life. Eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins, avoid fatty and salt-rich foods, engage in frequent physical exercise, control cholesterol levels , blood pressure and diabetes if you suffer from it, and take necessary measures to lose weight. excess weight, are recommendations that can help you protect your heart and prevent a heart attack.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Symptoms of a heart attack , we recommend that you enter our category of Blood, heart and circulation .