'Sneaky' Symptoms of a Heart Attack

Acıbadem Ataşehir Hospital Cardiology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Selçuk Görmez said that cardiovascular diseases continue to rank first among the causes of death in the world.

According to the 2020 data of the World Health Organization; 18 million annually in the world, and in our country according to the statistics of the Ministry of Health in 2019; He says that about 200 thousand people die every year due to cardiovascular diseases. Studies show that 30 out of every 100 people over the age of 6 in our country have a heart attack.

Dr. According to Görmez, heart attack; It is called the situation where the blood flow to the heart muscle is cut off due to excessive narrowing or obstruction in the coronary vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the heart. The sudden development and threat to the life of the patient is the most frightening aspect of the picture. When we think of a heart attack, we usually think of severe pain in the middle of the chest, which develops as a feeling of pressure or heaviness and can sometimes spread to the arms. However, heart attack develops without chest pain in 20-30 percent of patients and with 'insidious' signals called 'atypical'.

Noting that patients should not ignore the insidious symptoms of a heart attack, Görmez said, “Today, when the health institution is reached on time, a heart attack can be overcome almost without damage thanks to rapid diagnosis and treatment. However, in order to obtain effective results from treatments such as clot-busting drugs, balloons and stents after coronary angiography, the clogged heart vessel must be opened within the first 60 minutes of a heart attack. The faster the intervention, the less muscle loss and cell death in the heart, so serious problems such as heart failure or rhythm disorder that may develop after the crisis can be prevented, so that our patients can continue their normal lives.

Dr. Noting that burning in the stomach, nausea and vomiting are the most common symptoms, Görmez said, “Burning in the stomach, nausea, vomiting, numbness in the arms, shortness of breath, feeling of faintness or fainting, cold sweating and low blood pressure are the most common insidious symptoms of a heart attack.

Burning sensation in the stomach, nausea, vomiting, numbness in the arms, shortness of breath, feeling of faintness or fainting, cold sweats and low blood pressure are the most common insidious symptoms of a heart attack. The lower surface of the heart is located just above the stomach. Therefore, stomach-directed signals may develop in right coronary artery occlusions that feed the lower part of the heart. In this case, the complaints such as burning in the stomach, indigestion, nausea and vomiting are usually attributed to the heavy food they eat in the evening or to the fact that they have a cold in their stomach, and they neglect to consult a physician. he said.

Cardiology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Selcuk Gormez continued his words as follows:

“Especially patients over the age of 40 should not neglect to consult a physician when they have complaints such as burning sensation in the stomach, indigestion, nausea and vomiting during exertion or at rest. In the health institution, on the other hand, it is necessary to act and EKG should be taken considering that the underlying cause may be a heart attack. Otherwise, heart attacks may be missed due to their common symptoms, and reflux and gastritis may be misdiagnosed.

Saying that palpitations, fainting and clouding of consciousness are other symptoms, Görmez states that serious rhythm disturbances due to heart attack, acute heart failure and sudden hypotension can be found under symptoms such as palpitations, fainting or clouding of consciousness.

Noting that pain in the lower jaw and teeth is an important symptom, Görmez said:

“When dentists determine that the pain is not caused by the teeth and jaw, they can refer patients to cardiology specialists. In the angios we performed on these patients, we usually find that there are serious stenosis in the coronary vessels.

Emphasizing that the age of the patient is important in pain in the lower jaw and teeth, Cardiology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Selçuk Görmez said, “It is a low probability that the pain that develops in the jaw in the young age group is caused by a heart attack. However, men over the age of 40 and women over the age of 50 should be more careful about these symptoms, especially if they have risk factors such as tobacco use, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle and early coronary heart disease in the family.

Assoc. Dr. Selçuk Görmez said that feeling bad and getting tired quickly carries the risk of heart attack.

Gormez said, “When the artery to the heart is blocked, the tissues are deprived of oxygen because the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body. As a result, symptoms such as fatigue, a feeling of boredom or constriction, shortness of breath, and even fear of death can be seen.” said.

Stating that arm, shoulder and back pain should be taken seriously, Dr. Görmez said, “Insidious heart attack; It may also present with symptoms of pain and numbness in both arms without chest pain or only in the left or right arm. Pain and numbness usually develop in the left arm. This is because the nerves associated with the heart are also connected to the left arm. Shoulder and back pain can also be added to the pain that starts in the arms.” used the phrase.

Cardiology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Selçuk Görmez warned that complaints such as sudden onset of pain and numbness in the arm, shoulder or back region and lasting longer than 20 minutes should never be neglected.