But first, and especially if you are a smoker or have any risk factors for cardiac disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family history of heart disease, read today’s column carefully. Heart attacks don't strike out of the blue “ there are several tell-tale signs in the days and weeks leading up to an attack. But the symptoms may not be the expected chest pain, so they may go unrecognized. Here are seven symptoms that shouldn't’t be ignored.
Indigestion or nausea
One of the most overlooked signs of a heart attack is naus
A sharp pain and numbness in the chest, shoulders and arms is an indicator of heart attack, however, people who suffer a heart attack often experience a pain in the neck or shoulder area, or a dull pain running along the jaw and up by the ear. Sometimes, the pain is between the shoulder blades. A tell-tale sign is that the pain comes and goes, instead of persisting unrelieved as an injured muscle would. This makes it easy to overlook and difficult to pinpoint. You may notice pain in your neck one day, none the next day, and then it may move to your ear and jaw. If you notice pain of this sort, go see your doctor.
A sense of crushing fatigue that lasts for several days is another sign of heart trouble that's all too often overlooked. The key here is that the fatigue is unusually strong “ not the kind of tiredness you can power through but the kind that lays you flat out in bed. If you are suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue, contact your doctor.
When your heart isn't getting enough blood, it also isn't getting enough oxygen, which results is an inability to draw a deep, satisfying breath “ the same feeling you get when you rapidly climb up a few flights of stairs. Additional symptoms of low oxygen in the blood stream are light-headedness and dizziness.
Leg swelling or pain
When the heart muscle isn't functioning properly, waste products aren't carried away from tissues by the blood, and the result is oedema, or swelling caused by fluid retention. Oedema usually starts in the feet, ankles, and legs because they're the furthest from the heart. In addition, when tissues don't get enough blood, it may lead to a painful condition called ischemia. Bring swelling and pain to the attention of your doctor.
Victims of heart attacks often experience a sudden, unexplained inability to fall asleep or stay asleep during the month or weeks before their heart attack. Victims recall lying in bed with racing thoughts and sometimes a racing heart and feeling a sense of "impending doom," as if a disaster were about to strike. If you don't normally have trouble sleeping and begin to experience acute insomnia and anxiety for unexplained reasons, speak with your doctor.
Clammy, sweaty skin, along with feeling light-headed, fatigued and weak are most likely symptoms of the flu but may also indicate an impending heart attack. If you experience severe flu-like symptoms that don't quite add up to the flu (no high temperature, for example), call your doctor to talk it over. Also watch out for persistent wheezing or chronic coughing that doesn't resolve itself. These symptoms are often attributed to a cold or flu, asthma, or lung disease, but may be due poor circulation caused by a weak heart.
So, should you get alarmed and go see the doctor if you exhibit any of these symptoms? Not necessarily. A good rule of thumb is to watch for clusters of symptoms that come on all at once and aren't typical of your normal experience. Be alert and aware and see your doctor if sense anything unusual.
- Nivedita Dempo is a fitness expert and the owner of Studio 101, Goa’s premier fitness centre
