According to Harvard Medical School, silent heart attack, the dangerous brother of the already feared heart attack, is responsible for almost 45 percent of cases. Dangerous because it comes across quietly and can often go unnoticed for days, weeks and months. According to the Federal Statistical Office (1), a total of 985,572 people died in Germany in 2020. 338,001 of them suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system. Of these, 44,529 suffered from acute or recurrent myocardial infarction. Almost half of the cases are not recognized or underestimated. This increases the risk of death from coronary heart disease.
The name “silent heart attack” or “silent heart attack” comes from the fact that this form does not come with the known symptoms. These can include: extreme pain and pressure in the chest, stabbing pain in the arm, neck or jaw, sudden shortness of breath, cold sweats or dizziness. These alarm signals from the body indicate that something serious may be going on. They alert us so we can seek medical attention. With a silent heart attack, these accompanying symptoms lack intensity, so the heart attack may be barely noticed or not noticed at all.
Silent heart attack: symptoms
The symptoms are usually perceived as general malaise. Complaints such as fatigue or general physical discomfort, the causes of which could easily be attributed to other causes, are mentioned. For example, revision,lack of sleepor frailty and discomfort associated with age. Other symptoms may include mild pain in the throat or chest, which could easily be confused with an upset stomach, indigestion, or heartburn. The chest pain is also perceived as mild, unlike the stabbing, left-sided pain of a classic heart attack. Those affected locate this in the middle of the chest. A silent heart attack can even occur without any symptoms being noticed. The affected person misses this heart attack and it goes completely unnoticed.
Can remain unnoticed for a long time
According to a 2015 study by the American Medical Association, the number of people who suffer a silent heart attack that goes unnoticed is shockingly high. The study examined 2,000 subjects aged 45 – 84 years. The experimental group consisted of 50% male and 50% female study participants. All of them were initially free of cardiovascular disease. After ten years, scarring in the heart muscle tissue was found in 8% of the study participants. This scarring is considered clear evidence of a myocardial infarction. What was most surprising was the fact that 80% of the affected study participants were unaware that they had suffered such an incident. Overall, the incidence of scarring on the heart muscle tissue was five times higher in male study participants than in females.
Risk factors
The risk factors for silent heart attacks are generally the same as those for classic heart attacks. smoking, obesity,Lack of exercise, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels in the blood and diabetes top the list of risk factors here too. Such a heart attack leaves scars on the heart muscle tissue. Together with the fact that the person is unclear about the incident and therefore does not seek treatment, the risk of another, more intense heart attack increases. This also increases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease. Such a heart attack is a clear sign of the presence of cardiovascular disease and a signal that something needs to be done.
Silent heart attack: diagnosis and examination
The silent heart attack can go unnoticed for days, months or years. Until the patient goes to the next medical check-up and expresses persistent symptoms and complaints such as fatigue, shortness of breath or heartburn. The doctor can then use an EKG or an echogram to determine whether there may be any damage to the heart muscle tissue. Another test option is a blood test that looks for traces of the protein troponin t and, if necessary, detects them. Troponin is a protein released by damaged heart cells. This test is a frequently used tool in the emergency room that is used to determine whether a patient has...Myocardial infarction symptomsactually has a myocardial infarction.
Treatment
If your doctor has diagnosed the occurrence, he or she can help you identify your individual main risk factors for treatment and further progression. As well as determining an individual treatment strategy for you. This can be a change in diet and planning exercise therapy, as well as prescribing medication such as statins or others. The goal is to prevent the risk of another possible heart attack.
If you feel like something is wrong and you think it might be a silent heart attack, don't hesitate, play it safe. Even if the symptoms may seem trivial to you, it is better to go to the doctor's office again rather than risk a major health risk.
