A silent myocardial infarction (SMI), often known as a silent heart attack, happens when a blocked artery limits blood supply to the heart without causing any outward signs. It might be hard to identify because, unlike normal heart attacks, it could not induce chest discomfort or dyspnoea.
Dangers of a Silent Heart Attack
A quiet heart attack is one with few, if any, symptoms or one with signs that are not indicative of a heart attack. Shortness of breath and chest discomfort, which are commonly associated with heart attacks, may not be present in a quiet heart attack.
Damage to your heart increases with the length of time it is without blood flow. Silent heart attacks can do a great deal of harm since they might go unreported. And they can be fatal if left untreated.
What Are the Silent Heart Attack Risk Factors?
- Diabetes
- Excess weight
- Family history of heart disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Smoking
- Sedentary lifestyle
Seven Typical Indications of a Silent Heart Attack
1. Chest Pain
During a quiet heart attack, chest discomfort may be minimal or nonexistent. In your chest, you may experience pain, pressure, or a squeezing feeling. This discomfort may be brief or sporadic, which makes it simpler to ignore than the severe pain of a traditional heart attack.
2. Lightheadedness
Decreased blood supply to the brain can cause lightheadedness, which is a feeling of almost fainting. It may manifest as a hazy sensation of unsteadiness or impending fainting.
3. Dash and heartburn
Indigestion, reflux, or gastric reflux might be confused with mild heart or throat pain.
4. Cold Sweat
Unknown cold sweats may be a sign of a silent heart attack, particularly if they don’t go away with anxiety or physical activity. They could be confused with a temperature response.
5. Breathlessness
A heart attack may be the cause of your dyspnoea or difficulty breathing while carrying out easy chores.
6. Pain in Other Upper Body Areas
A silent heart attack may be indicated by pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back, shoulders, or arms. Like a muscle strain, this pain may be minor or intermittent.
7. Musculoskeletal pain
Damage to a muscle in the arm, neck, or chest can occasionally cause pain that mimics the symptoms of a heart attack.
Summary
A quiet heart attack doesn’t have any obvious signs. It can take months or even years for someone to discover that they have experienced a silent heart attack.
Fatigue, a sensation of a chest or back muscle spasm, and nausea are possible symptoms.
The time a person learns they have had a heart attack will determine how they are treated.
