A heart attack can develop without the usual symptoms. When it comes to a silent heart attack, it is referred to as silent ischemia in which there is lack of oxygen to the heart muscle. The symptoms can be mild in which the heart attack is not evident, thus emergency care might not be provided on time.
Always remember that there might be no symptoms at all. The damage to the heart is discovered if a routine electrocardiogram is carried out that records the electrical signals of the heart. The risk of an advanced heart disease is higher due to lack of treatment. The symptoms of a silent heart attack can include disturbance of the heart rhythm or heart failure after the damage has been incurred to the heart.
A silent heart attack that is unrecognized can lead to future complications that can lead to further heart damage as coronary artery disease progresses. If a second heart attack occurs, it can cause more damage and apparent symptoms, eventually worsening the effects of heart muscle loss that occurs during a heart attack. There is also risk for premature death among individuals who suffer from undetected heart attacks.
What is silent ischemia?
Individuals can experience the disruption of the flow of blood to the heart without any symptoms. Once the symptoms occur, it is called as angina. The heart damage due to a heart attack can lead to death from disturbance of the heart rhythm due to the enlargement of the heart muscle.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of a silent heart attack are usually present but unrecognized. In most cases, they are mild but can be determined with thorough history taking by the doctor. The episodes of dizziness, mild indigestion, sweating and abrupt fatigue can be linked with an unrecognized heart attack. In some cases, especially diabetic individuals, there are no symptoms at all.
How to identify a silent heart attack
Undergoing a routine electrocardiogram, echocardiogram or stress test can reveal if a silent heart attack occurred. During an ultrasound of the heart, there is a possibility that damage on the heart can be detected. As for an electrocardiogram, it can show the abnormalities in the conduction of the electrical signals of the heart, leading to a possible undetected heart disease or heart attack. During a nuclear stress test, images are used to check the heart for any damaged tissues.
Considerations to bear in mind
Regular heart screening and yearly exams for blood pressure, cholesterol and electrocardiogram tests can minimize the risk factors for a silent heart attack. The heart screening tests are vital for diabetics who require an aggressive control on the risk factors that can lead to a heart attack.
Always remember that silent heart attack do not always show any symptoms. Individuals who are diabetic, has a family history of heart disease and those who are at risk for heart attack due to high blood pressure, obesity and inactivity must focus on lifestyle changes. Take note that regular screening for heart disease can reduce the risk of having a silent heart attack.