Heart Attack Warning Signs in Men

A heart attack is defined as a permanent damage of a section of heart muscle. Conditions such as coronary artery diseases may cut off supply of blood to the heart thus, making the heart muscle oxygen-starved. If the blood supply is not restored, then the cells of the heart muscle begin to die thus, making permanent damage inevitable.

It is surprising to know that this condition, also known as myocardial infarction (MI), was considered a medical condition typical of only men. However, in view of latest medical research, it is found that the problem could also affect women.

However, they may not show signs as severe or pronounced than those in the case of men. Also the signs that men usually show may not show up in women.

# It has been found in most cases that heart attacks come with no symptoms in advance and so, can be considered asymptomatic. Such silent heart attacks, as they are known, are suffered mostly by diabetes mellitus patients.

Nevertheless, when the symptoms do occur, they include chest discomfort or chest pain, breathing problems, a squeezing or crushing feeling in the chest, and heartburn.

Pain of the jaw, toothache, headaches, nausea, vomiting, cold sweating and indigestion are also related to the onset of heart attack in men. Chest pain, according to most health experts, is a sign that should not be taken lightly. Especially when it is severe and debilitating, recurs, and persists longer than usual.

# Fullness in the chest, feeling of discomfort in the back, neck or stomach, lightheadedness, general fatigue, and upper back pain are also some of the characteristic warning signs. Arm pain on the left side or left shoulder pain may be felt radiating all the way from the chest and jaw.

# Some severe symptoms which may crop up, are loss of consciousness and even absence of pulse. The victim may develop dilated pupils and in extreme cases cyanosis (a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes) or pallor (unnatural lack of color in the skin).

General epigastric (upper middle abdomen) discomfort, fainting, anxiety and palpitations also could forecast a heart attack, and so could dyspnea (difficult or labored respiration ) and diaphoresis (the process of the sweat glands of the skin secreting a salty fluid).

It is equally important to know what women exhibit as signs of heart attack. Although, they might have the typical symptoms, according to doctors, the most common ones which they come up with include clammy skin, dizziness, heartburn, and unusual fatigue.

The severe chest pain which is the most common indication of heart attack in men, has been known to occur in less than one-third of women. The warning signs in men, as cited above, commonly occur just before or during a heart attack. This is however, not in the case of women. They may develop the symptoms, a month or more before the heart attack.

There are certain factors that make men more vulnerable to suffer from heart attack. Men tend to have more severe obstructions further towards the end of the coronary arteries, that accommodate some blood flow to the heart. This results in extreme clotting and obstruction of the coronary arteries.

This, according to what most doctors say, could be the reason of women suffering from heart attacks, ten years later than men, on an average. Also, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking in men make them more susceptible to contract heart problems.

The prognosis of heart attack treatment is the brightest if it is done within 1 - 2 hours of the onset of the first symptoms. Doctors strongly recommend people to wait no longer than 5 minutes to call 911 or get immediate medical care, as soon as they realize an impending heart attack. This is more important for people who have a history of heart disease.