Manhattan Cardiology’s own Robert Segal, MD has given some information on heart disease in Menshealth.com’s article: 6 Harrowing Signs a Heart Attack Might Be In Your Near Future.
Extreme fatigue is a known, telltale sign of an impending heart attack for women. And though studies can’t say for sure whether the same is true for men, you should pay attention if your usual routine suddenly seems unusually hard—or you’re too worn out to do your normal tasks altogether, says Robert Segal, M.D., FAAC, founder of Manhattan Cardiology.
Feeling extra tired can signal weakness of the left ventricle of your heart, the main muscle responsible for pumping blood from the heart to the rest of the body, Dr. Segal says. If it stops working, the heart isn’t able to pump properly, which can result in a heart attack.
And if the left ventricle isn’t pumping as strongly as should be, your heart might not be able to circulate enough blood throughout your body, or to fill up properly with fresh blood in between heartbeats. The result? Exhaustion—even after you sleep, since your tissues aren’t getting enough fresh, oxygenated blood.
Also…
Findings show that women with anxiety are more likely to have reduced blood flow to the heart compared to those without anxiety. And though the same hasn’t been shown for men, it’s still important for guys to consider the relationship between anxiety and heart attack risk, Dr. Segal says.
That’s because many symptoms of anxiety—like chest pain, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations—are also signs of a heart attack, especially if you’re not in the middle of dealing with a stressful situation that might normally cause these kinds of symptoms.
“This can potentially mask heart problems in many patients and lead to significant delays in diagnosis and treatment,” explains Dr. Segal. In other words, you’re probably not going call 911 if you think your racing heart is just a mood thing.
Anxiety can put extra strain on your heart too. That’s because feeling tense causes your blood vessels to constrict and speeds up your heart rate, which could both trigger a heart attack, says Dr. Segal.
To read the full article, click here.
