The subtle signs of a heart attack you need to be aware of

We’ve all seen heart attacks portrayed on-screen by actors that clutch their chest and dramatically drop to the floor. And yes, sometimes heart attacks look exactly like this. But it is important to understand that not all do. Heart attacks are often accompanied by a variety of other symptoms, some of which can be quite subtle and easily misinterpreted as something else. So read on to discover what these lesser-known symptoms are. By recognising and reacting to them, you could just save a life.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, is a serious and life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot.

According to the British Heart Foundation, there are around 100,000 hospital admissions in the UK each year due to heart attacks. That’s 290 admissions each day or one every five minutes.

Who is most at risk of a heart attack?

Men are at greater risk of suffering a heart attack than women, but it is crucial that women are fully aware of the symptoms because they can and do affect women too.

Other risk factors include:

• A family history of early heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Stress

Common symptoms of a heart attack

The most common symptoms most people associate with heart attacks are:

• Chest pain – a feeling of pressure, heaviness, or tightness in your chest
• Pain in your left arm

However, it is important to understand that heart attack symptoms can vary from person to person. Whilst the chest pain can be severe for some people, for others it can be minor – almost feeling like a bad case of indigestion.

The more subtle signs of a heart attack

Familiarise yourself with the following symptoms of a heart attack:

• Pain in the jaw, neck, back or tummy
• Feeling of indigestion
• Feeling dizzy
• Feeling nauseous
• Sweating
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing
• Feeling anxious, similar to a panic attack

Some of the symptoms listed above could be easily misinterpreted as something else. And in fact that is often why some heart attack sufferers don’t seek medical attention quickly – because they wrongly believe they have acid reflux or the flu, for example.

But when it comes to heart attacks, it is vital that you act fast.

What to do if you think someone is having a heart attack

If you suspect someone is having a heart attack it is essential that you call 999 immediately. The sooner they receive medical help, the better their chances of surviving. If you are sure they are not allergic to aspirin, give them 300mg aspirin while you wait for the ambulance and inform the paramedics when they arrive.

Speak to a GP about lowering your risk

If you’d like professional and personalised advice on how you can cut your risk of a heart attack, book an appointment at YourGP. Here, our doctors can inform and support you through a range of essential lifestyle changes such as:

• Quitting smoking
• Losing weight
• Exercising regularly
• Cutting down or cutting out alcohol
• Improving your diet

Book your appointment using our simple online booking system, email reception@your.gp, or call us on 0131 225 5656 and we’ll be happy to arrange an appointment at a time that suits you.