8 Silent Signs of a Heart Attack

Heart Disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., and heart attacks cause nearly half a million fatalities every year. Most people think they know who is most at risk for a heart attack, and what the symptoms are. Movies and television shows often depict a middle-aged, overweight man suddenly clutching at his chest before falling to the ground. The reality is often much different however.

Being overweight or diabetic, having high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol, and having existing, or a family history of, heart disease, all are risk factors for both men and women that increase with age. As far as signs of a heart attack, chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, and pain radiating down the left arm are common symptoms that most people are familiar with; however, 30% of victims will have atypical symptoms or none at all in what is known as a silent heart attack.
Silent heart attacks are most common in women and diabetics, and are often dismissed by both patients and doctors alike as being an insignificant health issue or anxiety related. Unfortunately, such cases make up the bulk of fatalities due to delayed medical treatment and consequential damage to the heart. For those reasons, people with increased risk factors should especially be aware of the following 8 warning signs.

1. Extreme fatigue

Fatigue is an accepted result of aging, working hard, and eating and sleeping poorly. However, fatigue that comes on suddenly and without a noticeable cause may be a sign that your heart is struggling to pump blood. Blood carries oxygen, and a lack of oxygen can make even the simplest tasks a lot more exhausting.

2. Sweating

Sweating after a workout or after spending a few hours in the hot sun is perfectly normal and the body’s way of regulating temperature. However, when arteries are clogged, the heart has to work much harder to force blood through them. That extra exertion raises your body temperature, which means you sweat more in order to cool down. Night sweats, cold sweats, and clammy skin, for no apparent reason, should all be a red flag.

3. Malaise

Malaise is a term for when you’re feeling generally lousy, similar to when you are recovering from the flu. You feel achy, tired, and uncomfortable. Experiencing malaise for no obvious reason is another silent symptom of heart trouble.

4. Jaw pain

Most causes of jaw pain aren’t life threatening, but in some instances, there is more than a toothache to blame. Nerves from the heart run in close proximity to those in the jaw. As heart cells send out pain signals, the brain can confuse the message and translate it as jaw pain.

5. Indigestion

Symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, and vomiting are usually attributed to something you ate, but these discomforts can also signal a heart attack. Decreased blood flow causes problems with digestion.

6. Swelling

When blood flow from the heart decreases, blood making the return trip through the veins begins to back up, causing fluid to build up in tissue. In addition, the kidneys have difficulty disposing of sodium and water, which also causes fluid retention. As a result, swelling in the feet, ankles, legs, and abdomen often indicates heart failure.

7. Persistent cough

Just as decreased blood flow causes buildup in the lower extremities, the lungs also can be affected. Increased fluid in the lungs causes coughing and wheezing, sometimes accompanied by bloody phlegm.

8. Anxiety

This symptom is particularly tricky, since doctors often blame anxiety as the source of other heart attack symptoms, such as shortness of breath and chest discomfort; however, many heart attack victims reported feeling very anxious and having an impending sense of doom.