This Is the Early Heart Attack Symptom That's Missed the Most Often, According to Cardiologists

-

When you think of a person having a heart attack, you most likely picture them falling to the floor clutching their chest. Because of this, many people don't realize that there are a handful of other symptoms associated with heart attacks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States. Because of this, not knowing all the signs is particularly dangerous. 

With that in mind, Parade spoke with cardiologists to find out what the most commonly missed early heart attack symptom is—and other top symptoms to watch out for. 

The Most Commonly-Missed Early Heart Attack Symptom

According to Dr. Estelle Jean, MD, a cardiologist with MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Montgomery County, Maryland, the most commonly missed heart attack symptom is shortness of breath. Because shortness of breath can be attributed to many things, if it's occurring without chest pain, people don't tend to think it means they're having a heart attack. "Shortness of breath is a commonly missed early symptom of a heart attack, and it can occur with or without chest discomfort," she explains.

Dr. Max Brock, MD, a cardiologist at Cook, echoes this. "Trouble breathing, or 'dyspnea' in medical lingo, can be caused by many things, but sometimes it is the only sign of a heart attack for some patients," he says.

Related: This Is the Most Commonly Missed Early Cancer Symptom

Other Commonly-Missed Heart Attack Symptoms

Dr. Brock says you should also watch out for chest pressure, even if it isn't accompanied by pain. "As many people are aware, chest discomfort is the most common symptom of a heart attack, but people tend to think that has to mean pain specifically where your heart is, on the left side of your chest," he says. "Chest pressure, a crushing sensation or tightness in the chest, and upper abdominal pain are also some of the many ways patients describe their heart attack. Do not wait around for left-sided chest pain!"

Dr. Jean adds that other heart attack symptoms include pain in the shoulder, arm, neck, jaw, back and stomach. "People may also experience nausea or vomiting, heartburn, dizziness, sweating, palpitations and fatigue when having a heart attack."

Related: Here's What Your Resting Heart Rate Can Really Tell You About Your Heart Health

How To Prevent a Heart Attack

While it's important to take as many preventative measures as possible, Dr. Jean says understanding the signs of a heart attack is crucial. "Know the signs of a heart attack and don't ignore your symptoms. The chances for surviving a heart attack depend on receiving immediate and timely care," she explains, adding that 80 percent of heart attacks can be prevented by taking healthy lifestyle measures. "This includes maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, eating a healthy diet, not smoking, limiting alcohol intake, sleeping seven to nine hours at night and managing your stress," she says. "And don't forget to schedule a visit with your healthcare provider to assess your risk for heart disease, and to learn about your personal health numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar)."

Related: What To Know About the Connection Between Blood Sugar and Heart Disease

Dr. Brock emphasizes the importance of movement. "Staying active is so important for your heart, as it is for many of your other organs," he explains. "You don’t need to go out and sprint or bike long distances. Moderate exercise is sufficient—and when I say moderate, I tell my patients this is the type of exertion where it is harder to hold a long conversation with your exercise partner, but you are still able to talk in shorter sentences. It’s the type of exercise where you break into a sweat by the end!"

While heart disease is scary, there's a lot you can do to prevent it—and catch it early enough to not put your life at risk. 

Next up: This Is the Worst Habit for Blood Sugar, According to an Expert

Sources



from Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays https://ift.tt/Ds1gFqx
via IFTTT

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Martha Stewart and Lookalike Granddaughter Jude Sparkle on the Red Carpet

-
Image
Martha Stewart is forever proving that she's the coolest grandmother.  The TV personality and entrepreneur attended iHeartRadio's 2023 Jingle Ball in New York City on Friday, Dec. 8, and she brought her granddaughter  Jude Stewart  along for the epic night.  Jude is one of the lifestyle guru's two grandkids, the children of her only daughter, Alexis Stewart , 58. In addition to Jude, 12, Martha is also a grandmother to 11-year-old grandson  Truman Stewart .  Martha, 82, posed alongside her granddaughter during the concert event held at Madison Square Garden on Friday, where the duo proved just how strong the Stewart genes are.  Jude looked just like her grandmother in the red carpet photos, as they both smiled for the camera while flaunting their matching bright blond locks.  The cookbook author was dressed in all gold for the evening, wearing a sequin jacket with a pair of metallic gold pants.  (L-R) Martha Stewart and Jude Ste...
Read more

Elle King Dramatic Weight Loss After Postpartum Depression Battle Inspires Fans

-
Country singer Elle King is opening up about her struggles with postpartum depression and how she recovered, both mentally and physically, almost two years after the birth of her son Lucky . The "Ex's & Oh's" crooner shared a video of her daily exercises and self-care routine before performances alongside a very personal note in the caption. She began, "Almost 2 years postpartum ! I am making this post to share my journey from 284 lbs at 5’3 from pregnancy 2021 - now 2023. It doesn’t happen over night. It didn’t even happen in a year for me. In fact, it’s an on going still working towards ever changing goals kinda thing." "So why am I sharing this? I fell into a very deep depression during my pregnancy. I also didn’t even realize how intense postpartum depression is and was until I very slowly began to crawl out. I felt trapped in my body. I couldn’t even sing," King went on. View this post on Instagram ...
Read more

I Tried Grimaces McDonald's Birthday Meal & Was Lovin It'

-
Image
The throwback of seeing McDonald's Grimace will either send you into a fit of giggles or a terrifying tailspin depending on how your inner child remembers this giant purple creature. The beloved McDonald's character is celebrating his 52nd birthday at McDonald’s starting this week and he’s back in full force to celebrate after a years-long disappearance from the public eye.  That means, in addition to a whole slew of other birthday-related festivities, you can grab one of his limited-edition meals at Mcdonald's complete with (in true Grimace fashion) a giant purple milkshake. Related: McDonald's Delights With Launch of Beloved Sauce as a Dipping Cup View the original article to see embedded media. Who Is McDonald’s Grimace? In case you didn’t know, Grimace is an unknown creature introduced by McDonald’s in the ‘70s but he wasn’t always jolly. He started out as an evil villain who stole the cups from Mickey D’s to prevent people from enjoying milkshakes. McDonald’s...
Read more