As per the statistics provided by the World Health Organization, it is estimated that each year about 17.9 million people die of heart attack worldwide. To make matters worse, the heart attack symptoms or warning signs are easy to overlook and people tend to ignore them. Heart-related events of such nature are termed prodromal symptoms. Most of us tend to mistake the attention-seeking indicators as symptoms and tend to ignore them along with the headache, which in return, leads to heart attacks. To prevent the people from this situation, here have been mentioned the signs and tips related to heart.
6 Signs of a Heart Attack a Month Before
1. Chest Pain
Chest pain is one of the major frontal warning signs that the body sends. According to heart disease statistics, a 2023 cross-sectional study recorded that out of 242 participants, about 68% experienced early symptoms such as chest pain. The words pressure, squeezing, and chest discomfort as well as a range of other phrases are the most common solutions. Unlike fleeting discomforts, these sensations may intensify over time or occur more frequently.
The pain present in the chest is almost always attributed to a heart attack but frequent episodes of pain in chest should be assessed medically as it is more serious than one may take it to be.
2. Chest Heaviness
Heaviness or tightness as well as feeling an immense amount of weight on the chest is yet another sign to watch out for. According to the same study 44% of the participants suffered from loose episodes of chest heaviness when engaging in some form of a physical activity. This sensation may also extend to the arms, shoulders, or back.
Be proactive, if you observe consistent chest pressure while performing some basic postural movement- highly suggest you to seek your primary care physician immediately.
3. Heart palpitation
Frequently experiencing heart ‘palpitations’ (feeling one’s heart pounding or racing whooshing or even irregular beating), in almost everyone is associated with stress or as a side effect of coffee, but on another side heart palpitations may indicate problems with your heart. According to the insights of a study that was conducted in 2023 it was also established that 42% of the surveyed pulled with early signs of heart attack showed that they experience palpitations.
Numerous or extreme Palpitations could signify a potential heart condition and should be dealt with a physician immediately with no delay.
4. Easy fatigue
Shortness of breath during activity or even at times when someone is at rest – also called ‘dyspnea’ is a progressive notable sign which indicates one has decreased supply of blood to the heart. To put it in layman terms, if you find yourself simply struggling to breathe and puffing with no valid reasoning all of this might be precursors to cardiovascular disease.
For an estimated 50% of those suffering from congestive heart failure or heart attacks, ‘dyspnea’ is one of the classic symptoms which refuse to go away according to American Heart Association.
5. Burning Sensation In The Chest
Sometimes a burning sensation in the chest can be considered to be a precursor to an attack or a condition bringing along the sensation of heartburn or acid reflux. Unlike the popularly known heartburn which is caused by consuming spicy foods all the time, sometimes this burning discomfort is unexplained and comes with nausea or fatigue.
case of experiencing medical deformation that does not stem from dietary triggers, consider speaking to a professional. It is also important to note the time and occurrence of such experiences.
6. Tiredness
While time changes the feeling of tiredness or intense fatigue can be a matter of concern especially for women. While some may experience fatigue even after sleeping, this may be a result due to the heart being unable to pump out sufficient blood, which can also result in a more serious cardiac issue.
Signs Of A Heart Attack- Men and Women
A heart attack is characterized by discomfort in the chest. People most often associate this pain as more common among men but women have different pain symptoms as well. The heart attack signs for women include.
- Vomiting
- Extreme exhaustion
- Stomach aches
- Dizziness
Even though these warning signs exist among women, they have a desire to delay treatment and still lead a normal functioning life. But these efforts can greatly impede the fight against such serious ailments but can even worsen a case.
A number of more women than men have reported fatigue as a sign of a heart attack.
A non traditional heart attack sign
Even though from the chest is the traditional sign of a heart attack there are a number of women and adolescent who report such attacks from other areas, such extra being Dizziness.
- Causing dizziness: Some blockages can occur causing the blood flow to the brain to reduce causing fainting or light headedness.
- Stomach Hanging: If one feels nauseous or discomforted in the stomach for no reason, this may be a cause for concern.
- Anxiety: Early signs of a heart attack may not be too clearly understood, but some features such as increased heart rate may be amongst the common ones which 23% of people feeling a heart attack experience.
- Sleep Disturbances: Difficulty sleeping without clear reasons could signal impending cardiovascular issues corner.
- Ankle Swelling: Noticeable swelling of feet, ankles, or spread to the legs could be a warning sign of heart complications and is a symptom of swelling.
- Pain in Other Body Parts: In the closing weeks of a heart attack, it is highly likely that one may also experience pain in the arms, back, neck or jaw of the body.
What Causes This Symptom To Emerge?
Prodromal symptoms are the warning signs witnessed as the heart fails to satisfy the necessary blood level and oxygen levels that it accustomed to prior to the decrease in blood levels stemming from plaque accumulation within the coronary arteries. These plaques can break apart and form blood clot and hence offer a great chance for a heart attack to occur.
Decreased flow of the blood to the heart means that more effort will be required by heart and which in turn leads to pain or pressure in chest.
Dizziness or palpitations can stem out of a heart that beats abnormally Numbness and tiredness after a decent amount of sleep or rest can be the result of blood circulation that is not up to the mark as blood fails to reach extremities.
Immediate Symptoms Before a Heart Attack
As one approaches a heart attack, heart attack indicators can be experienced as early as several hours before the event itself. Some common signs include:
- Excruciating pain in the chest particularly on the left side
- Lightheadedness or even fainting spells
- Unusual sweating without putting in any exertion
- Back, neck or arm pain
- Chronic shortness of breath
The sooner a person takes action, the lower the risks of long term damage to the heart. As such, one should contact the emergency service right away if these signs occur.
Preventive Measures
- Never Ignore Symptoms: Suggestions such as fatigue, chest tightness, or heart palpitations should be flagged as unusual and dealt with accordingly.
- Lifestyle Changes: Maintain a healthy diet, do routine exercise and learn to deal with stress levels.
- Regular Check Ups: Make it a point to keep track of your blood pressure, cholesterol levels as well as any existing or potential risk factors.
- Medication Compliance: Where medication is necessary to manage blood pressure, cholesterol or other medical needs ensure that it is used as directed.
The chances of a heart attack can be significantly reduced by managing existing and potential cardiovascular issues and with proper treatment up to 80% of heart attacks can surely be avoided.
A Word of Caution
The symptoms associated with a heart attack are not always vivid. Most people make excuses for the early signs and turn a blind eye to them, all while making it impossible for the upcoming treatment to be effective. These vague signs are your body’s ways of informing you that something is indeed wrong. Making the mistake of ignoring these gentle hints can have negative repercussions.
Summary
The heart itself wades into trouble when a person feels severe pain in the chest, a heavy feeling of pressure in the chest, a feeling of having trouble breathing, quickening of heartbeats or even tenderness in the chest region- which in turn puts them at the risk for a heart attack. Although these risk factors are common， it is not unusual for dizziness, stress, or swelling — to be other risk factors. Hence, being aware of such signs, timely availing of medical assistance and taking remedial actions can protect the lives of many people. Take your heart seriously. Be Alert.
