The symptoms of an atypical heart attack are so vague and mild that one doesn't think of it as an oncoming heart attack. This Story provides information on this condition.
A heart attack, which is medically referred to as a myocardial infarction, is characterized by permanent damage to the heart muscle due to the lack of blood supply.
Under such circumstances, one usually experiences symptoms such as pain or a feeling of pressure in the chest, nausea, sweating, dizziness, anxiety, shortness of breath, pain radiating to the arm, jaw, and back, etc.
There are times, when these characteristic signs and symptoms don't appear. Such a silent or atypical attack is quite dangerous, as one might ignore it, thinking of it as a case of indigestion.
These atypical symptoms are very hard to recognize. It has been observed that women are more prone to develop atypical signs than men. This makes early detection impossible. Thus, it is important to be able to identify these symptoms so that medical help can be sought immediately, if the need arises.
Atypical Symptoms of Myocardial Infarction
Besides women, old people or people with diabetes are also susceptible. Here are some of the atypical symptoms of a heart attack:
Nausea
Sweating
Headache
Dizziness
Heartburn
Sudden lightheadedness
Tingling sensation in the left arm and shoulder
Palpitations
Bloated stomach
Symptoms in Women
Women are less likely to show typical signs of a myocardial infarction than men on an ECG. This makes it very difficult to seek timely medical help in case of a cardiac arrest.
Besides the aforementioned symptoms, a few other atypical signs that are specific to women, and might be felt prior to the attack include:
Flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, cough, sore throat, and body ache before the attack.
Many women tend to have a mild burning sensation in the upper abdomen or indigestion.
Nausea and vomiting that might accompany indigestion
Women may experience pain in the arms or between the shoulder blades.
Discomfort in the chest region
Unusual fatigue
Sleep disturbances
Shortness of breath
Anxiety
Feeling of fullness
Tingling sensation
Since these symptoms are very vague, these are often mistaken for general sickness and prompt medical help is not taken. Women in the high-risk groups for such attacks include those who smoke, and the ones who are affected by :
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Family history of heart disease
Obesity
Those who come in the high-risk groups must go for checkups at regular intervals. Do make the necessary lifestyle-related changes to lower the risk. If you have any further queries about atypical symptoms of myocardial infarction, speak to your healthcare provider for more details.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this Story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.