One of our Cardiologists and co-founder of LabFinder, Rober Segal, MD, was interviewed on Bustle Magazine to discuss the missed signs that could be a potential heart attack.
He’s quoted as saying:
“Heart attack symptoms do not always revolve around the chest, although the best-known symptom is chest pain,” cardiologist Robert Segal, MD, tells Bustle. “However, that’s not always the case. There are a number of factors that need to be considered such as sex, age, and type of heart disease. With this in mind, it is important to note that just because someone is not experiencing chest pains, that [doesn’t mean] they are not having a heart attack. There are, what we call, silent signs.”
If you feel unusually sick to your stomach, it could be a sign that something is amiss. “Another heart attack sign is nausea or vomiting,” Dr. Steen says. “It’s not well known why this occurs, but many patients experience this symptom when having a heart attack.” Recurring nausea or feeling physically exhausted even if you have not been moving could be a warning sign, Dr. Segal says. This is especially common among women.
Perspiring while experiencing discomfort in the chest, arm, neck or jaw, could mean the onset of a heart attack, according to a study from the University of Illinois at Chicago. It could be the start of a heart attack if you are sweating, despite not moving around or being in a hot environment, Dr. Segal says.
Pain that starts near a cluster of nerves, like your heart, can be felt someplace else on the body, according to WebMD, and this pain can be experienced in the jaw or mouth. “Together with an accompanying headache, this could mean a heart attack,” Dr. Segal says. “This is more common in women and usually, people go to the dentist instead of a cardiologist. The pain could only last a few minutes, but unfortunately, it will not go away and will keep returning.”
Stomach pain can mean many things, but it can be a symptom of a heart attack, especially if it’s in the upper part of the abdomen. “This usually happens in women where they experience severe abdominal pain,” Dr. Segal says. “Some would describe the feeling like something very heavy sitting on their stomach.”
Additional questions answered for
In general, why is important to be aware of heart attack symptoms beyond just chest pain?
Heart attack symptoms do not always revolve around the chest although the best-known symptom is chest pain. However, that’s not always the case. There are a number of factors that need to be considered such as sex, age, type of heart disease. With this in mind, it is important to note that just because someone is not experiencing chest pains, that they are not having a heart attack. There are, what we call, silent signs.
What are 5-6 little-known signs of a heart attack, with a brief explanation for each?
- Jaw pain or a toothache – Together with an accompanying headache could mean a heart attack. This is more common in women and usually, people would go to the dentist instead of a cardiologist. The pain could only last a few minutes but unfortunately, it will not go away but will keep returning.
- Abnormal Sweating – It could be the start of a heart attack if a person is sweating despite not moving around or is not in a hot environment.
- Abdominal pain – This usually happens in women where they experience severe abdominal pain. Some would describe the feeling like something very heavy sitting on their stomach.
- Nausea and lightheadedness – This could also lead to vomiting. Recurring nausea or when you feel physically exhausted even if you have not been moving could be a warning sign. This is especially common among women.
- Men: Shortness of breath.
- Women: Heartburn.
View the original piece placement on Bustle Magazine.
