Heart attacks are one of the most prominent medical emergencies that hospitals worldwide see every day. Since they can happen suddenly out of nowhere, you must know the heart attack symptoms to look out for, as every second before reaching the emergency medical room could make a difference in saving a life. How can you stay a step ahead and reduce your risk of heart attacks? Prevention is always better than cure in such critical cases. Therefore, it is better to take the necessary precautions and check heart health early to avoid complications later. 

Common Heart Attack Symptoms 

Knowing all the telltale heart attack signs is the first (and most crucial) step in dealing with an attack when it happens. No matter the situation, you should have a strong presence of mind and begin the right first aid procedure. This includes knowing what to do if you are experiencing heart attack symptoms. Remember, every second is vital during a heart attack, and recognizing the signs early can buy you valuable time.  

Though heart attack signs may vary among individuals, the most common ones are: 

• Chest Pain: This is typically the symptom most associated with a heart attack. However, you should note that chest pain by itself is not a definitive sign of a heart attack. For instance, it could be a symptom of heartburn, which is a gastric condition. Patients who suffer from heart attacks describe it as an intense, crushing sensation in the chest that worsens over time. 

• Shortness of Breath: If you are feeling breathless without any apparent reason, it could be a heart attack sign. When your heart muscles fail, your organs will face a sudden lack of oxygen through the blood supply. Shortness of breath often presents itself along with chest pain, causing moderate to major discomfort and pain depending on the severity of the heart attack. 

• Profuse Sweating: One of the early heart attack symptoms you should look out for is abnormal sweating. You may experience what is known as a “cold sweat,” where parts of your skin become damp without any visible reason. 

• Nausea: Bouts of nausea despite an otherwise normal metabolism could be a potential sign of an oncoming heart attack. You should avoid the common pitfall of dismissing this symptom as simple indigestion, especially when other abnormal heart attack signs present themselves. 

• Dizziness: You may feel increasingly light-headed in the immediate moments leading up to a heart attack. In some cases, it can be so debilitating that you are unable to stand upright. 

• Random Pain: Along with chest pain, you may also feel some tightness in your arms at the onset of a heart attack.  

When the initial heart attack symptoms present themselves, you should waste no time beginning immediate response treatment. Providing the right first-aid is essential to maintain stable vitals before professional medical help can intervene.  

Immediate Response 

What steps should you take when you (or someone near you) is facing a heart attack? 

• Initial Help: Your priority is to ensure that the person suffering from heart attack symptoms is in a stable position. Sit them down and ensure they have proper ventilation. If possible, try and learn what heart medication they are currently on, so that you can convey this information to the doctor later. 

• Call for Help: Heart attacks are a medical emergency, and people need to receive expert treatment from a cardiologist within an hour of the attack onset. Contact your nearest hospital at once to ensure that the person experiencing heart attack signs gets to a medical facility within the “golden hour” of a heart attack. 

• Retain a Calm Attitude: Panicking during a heart attack can create confusion and distress for those in the vicinity. Though it is a medical emergency, keeping a calm attitude and following the necessary steps in terms of immediate heart medication is essential. 

The first steps towards better heart health can be taken much before the onset of a heart attack. By identifying the risk factors and taking preventive measures, you can reduce your risk of heart attack. 

Risk Factors & Prevention

Lifestyle factors: Since the heart is a central organ in the body, your heart health is affected by certain lifestyle choices. Some of these factors include: 

• Diet: Eating fatty foods can increase blood vessel blockage, leading to a heart attack. 
• Lack of exercise: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to excess weight gain, which can contribute to heart attack risk. 
• Obesity: Disproportionate weight can lead to complications in proper blood supply to the heart. 
• Stress: Factors that contribute to high stress, such as blood pressure, can increase your risk of heart attack. 

• Regular Checkups: The most decisive measure you can take toward heart attack prevention is opting for frequent checkups with a cardiologist. Ideally, you should have a heart checkup once every few years. If you are already on heart medication, you should schedule regular checkups with your heart specialist. 

• Prevention Strategies: Heart attack prevention entails several simple steps that you can implement. For instance, quitting smoking/drinking, and having a healthy diet can go a long way in better heart health. 

Long-term Management

 The phase immediately after a heart attack is crucial to minimize the risk of a subsequent attack. Your recovery journey does not stop there, however. Taking a 360-degree approach is essential in preventing potential heart attacks. 

• Post-heart Attack Care: Recovering from a heart attack is a steady road. Initially, you will be prescribed plenty of bed rest and specific heart medication. During this time, you will also have to adapt to different lifestyle changes after a heart attack. Some of these include changing diets and pacing your physical activity. 

• Medication and Treatment: Aside from dedicated heart medication, your heart specialist may also suggest heart procedures to remove the blockage that could cause future heart attacks. Common examples of such procedures include angioplasty and stent placement. 
• Better Lifestyle: Even the smallest lifestyle changes after a heart attack can have a significant positive impact. As part of post-heart attack care, try starting small (for example, taking the stairs instead of the lift) and work your way to an active lifestyle. 

Conclusion 

If you (or someone you know) are at risk of a heart attack, then taking the due preventive measures is your best course of action. To sum up, you will need to keep in mind: 

• The common heart attack symptoms (such as breathlessness and chest pain) 
• What to do when faced with a heart attack 
• Taking a step towards prevention through specific lifestyle changes. 

Always remember to seek emergency medical assistance at the earliest when encountering a heart attack. To minimize the risk of potential heart attacks, you can prioritize your heart health with regular checkups. 

To easily schedule appointments for heart checkups and access your health records in one place, you can log on to the myAster app. Through the platform, you can view all our world-class cardiology specialists and select the right doctor for you at your convenience.  

Book your next cardiology appointment via myAster for a streamlined process from start to finish!