A silent heart attack, also known as silent ischemia, is an atypical presentation of a heart attack caused by the sudden blockage of one of the heart’s arteries, triggering the death of cardiac cells.
What Is a Silent Heart Attack Like?
In most cases, when blood flow to the heart is temporarily interrupted, it causes pain known as angina. However, there are cases where this pain does not occur, which is known as a silent heart attack.
Generally, the risk factors for a silent heart attack are the same as those for a symptomatic heart attack, including:
- Alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse
- Family history of heart problems
- Previous heart attacks
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Age (over 45 for men and 55 for women)
- High blood pressure (Hypertension)
- Obesity
- Lack of regular exercise / Sedentary lifestyle
Many patients who have suffered a silent heart attack only discover it much later—sometimes years afterward—during a routine electrocardiogram, for example.
Symptoms of a Silent Heart Attack: How to Recognize Them
In reality, very few people experience absolutely no symptoms during a silent heart attack; rather, the symptoms during this event are often mild or easily mistaken for other health issues.
Generally, you should watch out for:
- Exhaustion / Extreme fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Back or arm pain (similar to a sprain or muscle strain)
- Mild chest or throat discomfort
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Nausea or vomiting
- A general sense of discomfort or feeling unwell
- Cold sweats
Causes of a Silent Heart Attack
Currently, there is no single test to predict the likelihood of suffering a silent heart attack. However, based on your risk factors, a physician can treat underlying conditions to help lower the chances of experiencing one.
An electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) or an echocardiogram are the only ways to diagnose a past silent heart attack.
Having suffered a silent heart attack increases a patient’s risk of subsequently experiencing another heart attack—which could be fatal—or developing complications such as a stroke, arrhythmias, among others.
Another crucial factor to consider is the link between a silent heart attack and diabetes. People living with diabetes may experience nervous system damage (neuropathy) that interferes with pain signals, often resulting in a silent heart attack.
How a Heart Attack Feels
It is common for a silent heart attack to not only mislead the patient, but even lead to an initial misdiagnosis.
One way to quickly evaluate these symptoms is to remember that heart-related pain is typically not postural. If changing your physical position or manipulating the body does not alter the discomfort, you should seek immediate medical evaluation.
Cardiologist Near Me
At Centro Médico ABC, we have a prevention and care program for Acute Myocardial Infarction called Código AMI (Code AMI). This program follows a rigorous protocol to restore myocardial blood flow in under 60 minutes if you suspect you are experiencing a heart attack. Contact us today!
