A heart attack is one of the most serious medical emergencies and they can often life-changing or even make its victim leave this life forever. They require immediate medical attention and can seemingly strike from nowhere – happening when blood cannot reach the heart, usually due to a blood clot.
Known medically as myocardial infarctions, where ‘myo’ means muscle, ‘cardial’ refers to the heart, and ‘infarction’ refers to the dᴇαth of cell tissue due to a lack of blood supply, a heart attack is when the heart muscle is damaged because it doesn’t have enough oxygen to function.
Thankfully, your body will display eight warning signs at least a month before a heart attack. Some of these signs are quite common symptoms of other conditions, so don’t worry if you have only one, although all are worth checking.
1. Swollen Feet
If you have congestive heart failure, one or both of your heart’s lower chambers lose their ability to pump blood effectively. As a result, blood can back up in your legs, ankles and feet, causing edema.
2. Fatigue
Fatigue affects 70 per cent of women, and if it is not something you normally suffer with, it can be one of the main symptoms that indicates an impending heart attack.
Whilst men have reported this symptom, it is most likely to affect women, according to Brightside.
Fatigue can be described as extreme tiredness, lack of energy and motivation, both physically and mentally, and it increases by the end of the day.
It can make simple tasks such as making a bed or showering exhausting.
3. Shortness of breath
When your heart is getting less blood this means it your lungs are not going to be able to get as much oxygen to the lungs as you normally would.
The two systems depend on one another so without one you can’t have the other. If you have been having trouble breathing it is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible, this could mean it is getting close to time for your attack.
4. Dizziness and Cold Sweats
The poor circulations is also causing the blood flow to your brain to be restricted. This is very life threatening. This will at first cause dizziness and clamminess. You should not ignore this.
5. Excessive sweating
Unusual or excessive sweating is an early warning sign of a heart attack.
It might occur at any time of the day or night. This symptom affects women more often and is usually confused with the hot flashes or night sweats typical of menopause.
It is described as flu-like symptoms, clammy skin, or sweatiness occurring regardless of air temperature or physical exertion. Sweating seems to be more excessive at night; the bedsheets might be damp by morning.
6. Chest pain
Men and women experience chest pains in different intensities and forms.
In men, this symptom refers to the most important early signs of an impending heart attack that should not be ignored. On the other hand, it affects only 30 per cent of women.
Chest pain can expand to uncomfortable sensations in one or both arms (more often the left one), the lower jaw, neck, shoulders, or stomach.
It may have a permanent or temporary character.
7. Flu or Cold Symptoms
If you feel as if you are having flu symptoms out of nowhere this could be because the attack itself is about to happen within the near future. Many people feel they have developed a cold just days before their attacks.
8. Irregular heartbeat
This symptom occurs with no influence of external factors.
Skipped beats or arrhythmias are often accompanied by a panic attack and anxiety, especially among women.
It appears unexpectedly and reveals itself differently: arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) or tachycardia (increased heart rate).
Physical exercises might give an extra stimulus to the increase of heart rate, especially in cases with atherosclerosis disease.
Some people report that the irregular heartbeat lasts for 1-2 minutes. If it doesn’t fade you may feel dizziness or extreme fatigue.
How to handle this
If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, please see a doctor as soon as possible. The best way to prevent a heart attack is by noticing the symptoms early on.