A doctor has said that cold sweats and fatigue are among the early warning signs that someone is in danger of having a heart attack. The US healthcare company Sutter Health says that "subtle" symptoms can be experienced months before an attack actually happens.
Zi-Jian Xu is a cardiologist with the Sutter Health network and has shared some of the signs that you can look out for. For some, Dr Xu said that symptoms can occur months or even longer before a heart attack, the Liverpool Echo reports.
But others may not experience anything at all before a heart attack happens. The risk of a heart attack can increase through a family/personal history, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and age.
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Early symptoms of a heart attack
Typical symptoms include:
- Radiating chest pain, heaviness or discomfort
- Heart Palpitations
- Cold sweats
- Shortness of breath
Atypical symptoms can include:
- Fatigue
- General sense of unease
- Vague Discomfort
- Back or abdominal pain
- Declining stamina
There are two main ways that people present with heart attacks:
- Sudden: A person may or may not have any symptoms previously, but all at once a "plaque deposit ruptures", triggering a chain of events and a sudden heart attack.
- Gradual: This happens slowly as coronary disease progresses. In this situation, an artery is getting narrower over time and when the artery is narrowed down to more than 70 percent, a person will start to have "warning symptoms ahead of time", especially with physical exertion.
Dr Xu added it was "important not to ignore symptoms" or wait until they become severe. If you have a concern, talk to your doctor.
If heart disease is caught early, there are many lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of further problems, for example, eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, maintain a healthy wait, drink alcohol in moderation and do not smoke. To find out more about a heart attack, visit the NHS website here.
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