Early signs of heart attack to not dismiss
Heart attacks happen due to a cut-off blood supply to your heart. These are often seen as emergencies that happen suddenly, out of nowhere.
However, research has found that in over 50 percent of cases, people may experience warning signs even a month before an impending heart attack. Being aware of these symptoms can help you seek timely medical attention.
Survey on early warning signs
According to the Harvard Medical School, a survey of more than 500 women, who survived heart attacks, found that 95 percent of them spotted warning signs “a month or so before” the attack.
These red flag symptoms can occur in the days, weeks and even months before a heart attack actually occurs. The timing varies from person to person.
Pay attention to fatigue
According to the survey, unusual fatigue is the most prominent early warning sign, targeting 71 percent of the participants who survived a heart attack.
Feeling of fatigue includes excessive exhaustion, a lack of physical and mental motivation, and extreme tiredness. Simple daily tasks like taking a bath or cleaning your room may suddenly seem laborious.
This fatigue could be happening due to the extra stress put on your heart. If the blood flow is blocked, your heart is trying to pump harder, leaving you fatigued.
Other early warning signs
Apart from fatigue, other early signs of a heart attack can include chest tightness or breathlessness on exertion. Difficulty in breathing can also occur with stress.
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More women experience early signs
A number of studies have found that these early warning symptoms of heart attack affect more women than men. Still, many people fail to address them or consult a doctor as these symptoms often pass after a short amount of time.
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Signs you could be having a heart attack
Apart from the early signs that could strike days or even months before the attack, it is also important to be aware of signs you may experience while having a heart attack.
These include a feeling of pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across your chest; pain spreading from your chest to your arms, jaw, neck, back and tummy; feeling lightheaded or dizzy; sweating; shortness of breath; nausea or vomiting. Some people may experience an overwhelming feeling of anxiety, coughing or wheezing.