According to preliminary research, this appears to be a silent heart attackRisk of stroke in adultsto increase from 65 years of age. This condition has no, minimal, or unrecognized symptoms. To make the diagnosis, doctors use an electrocardiogram (EKG), or a form of imaging of the heart. This may be an echocardiogram or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The long-term risk of death after a silent heart attack can be just as high as in a recognized case. It also found that silent heart attacks are more common in older adults.
When a silent heart attack leads to complications
The results of the research suggest that this type of myocardial infarction may represent a new risk factor for eventual strokes. Researchers analyzed health information from more than 4,200 adults who participated in the cardiovascular health study. At the start of the study, participants were 65 years old or older. All subjects had annual study visits at multiple health centers from 1989 to 1999. The research team assessed these people's risk of stroke over an average of 10 years, with a prospective follow-up study ending in June 2015. Those who had signs of a silent heart attack had a 47% increased risk of stroke. Participants with classic symptoms of myocarditis had an 80-fold increased risk of stroke within one month of the event. After the one-month high-risk period, participants with classic heart attack symptoms had a 60% increased risk of stroke.
The research suggests that an increasing risk of stroke in patients with latent heart problems is similar to the risks of traditional heart disease. A silent heart attack can potentially cause clots in the heart. These then break away and travel to the brain, potentially causing a stroke. More research is needed to understand how best to treat silent heart attack patients to prevent it. A major limitationthis studyhowever, is that the majority of study participants come from one population group. Therefore, the results may not be applicable to younger adults or those belonging to other racial or ethnic groups.
