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Aarushi Bhadury

Silent Heart Attack Could Look Like Every Day Aches: Cardiologists Reveals Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

Silent Heart Attack Could Look Like Every Day Aches: Cardiologist Reveals Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

A 59-year-old woman came in for a follow-up visit for her shingles. During her appointment, she mentioned a small detail: she'd been feeling some skipped heartbeats, and her heart rate was a bit jumpy. 

The woman had some preexisting health issues like being overweight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and prediabetes. Her comment about the jumpy heartbeat caught the attention of the doctor. 

These small complaints led her doctor to do a more detailed check-up. An EKG, a test that checks the heart's electrical activity, revealed some key signs. The results showed that she had already suffered a heart attack, even though she hadn't felt it. 

This was a 2023 case study published in the Cureus, doctors call this a "<span>silent heart attack</span>," or silent myocardial infarction (SMI). Unlike a typical heart attack, a silent one has no symptoms or only very mild ones, so people don't realize what's happening and don't get medical help. These cases are often discovered by chance during a routine check-up.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/can-chocolate-supplements-help-lower-cardiovascular-deaths-new-study-says-it-may-help-article-152849350" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Can Chocolate Supplements Help Lower Cardiovascular Deaths? New Study Says It May Help</a> 

While you may not have heard of such cases before, they are not as uncommon as you may think they are. According to <span>American Heart Association</span>, of the estimated 805,000 heart attacks each year in US, 170,000 of them are silent heart attacks. 

As the name suggests, these attacks are difficult to recognize but not impossible. We spoke to consultant interventional <span>cardiologists</span> Pankaj Vinod Jariwala of Yashoda Hospitals and Dr. P Praveen Kumar of Karpagam Hospital Dr. Krunal Tamakuwala KD Hospital, to understand more about it. 

<h2>Who Is At Risk for Silent Heart Attacks? </h2>

Silent heart attacks are becoming more common, and they aren't just affecting older men. Doctors are now seeing them in people as young as their late 30s and early 40s, especially those with high-stress jobs. Dr Jariwala said, “They mistake early signs for lifestyle issues: acidity after a heavy dinner, shoulder pain from sitting at a laptop, or tiredness from long hours.” 

As Dr. Krunal Tamakuwala points out, the real danger is not that these heart attacks are completely "symptomless," but that their symptoms are so common that they are easily ignored. By the time a person finally sees a doctor, their heart may already be seriously damaged. “Sometimes, it arrives silently, hidden behind complaints we consider minor. That is why doctors urge patients not to ignore symptoms that linger or feel unusual, even if they seem harmless at first.” explained Dr Tamakuwala 

<h2>What Are The Symptoms Of Silent Heart Attacks? </h2>

Many people mistake the early signs of a silent heart attack for everyday issues. Symptoms like 

<ul><li>Acidity</li><li>Shoulder pain</li><li>Tiredness</li></ul>

These are often brushed off as normal problems from a busy lifestyle. In places like India, people tend to make the problem worse by self-medicating with antacids or painkillers, which only delays getting proper medical help. 

The reason these heart attacks are so confusing is due to something called referred pain. According to Dr. P Praveen Kumar, the nerves that carry pain signals from the heart are the same ones that connect to the stomach, back, and shoulders. This means that a problem with your heart can cause discomfort in another part of your body. 

For people with diabetes, the situation is even more complicated. They may not feel the classic chest pain at all because their nerve sensitivity is reduced. For them, a silent heart attack might feel like 

<ul><li>Simple bloating</li><li>Indigestion</li><li>A dull backache.</li></ul>

The key is to remember that not all heart attacks announce themselves with a dramatic crushing pain. Dr Praveen warns, “f these symptoms are joined by sweating, breathlessness, or dizziness, you should seek medical help immediately.” 

Doctors emphasize that lifestyle choices are key to keeping your heart healthy. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, quitting smoking, and managing stress are no longer optional, especially in countries like India, where heart disease is affecting younger people. “Everyday aches may feel ordinary, but when it comes to the heart, they could be the difference between early intervention and irreversible damage.” 

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A 59-year-old woman came in for a follow-up visit for her shingles. During her appointment, she mentioned a small detail: she'd been feeling some skipped heartbeats, and her heart rate was a bit jumpy. The woman had some preexisting health issues like being overweight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and prediabetes. Her comment about the jumpy heartbeat caught the attention of the doctor. These small complaints led her doctor to do a more detailed check-up. An EKG, a test that checks the heart's electrical activity, revealed some key signs. The results showed that she had already suffered a heart attack, even though she hadn't felt it. This was a 2023 case study published in the Cureus, doctors call this a "silent heart attack," or silent myocardial infarction (SMI). Unlike a typical heart attack, a silent one has no symptoms or only very mild ones, so people don't realize what's happening and don't get medical help. These cases are often discovered by chance during a routine check-up.Also Read: Can Chocolate Supplements Help Lower Cardiovascular Deaths? New Study Says It May Help While you may not have heard of such cases before, they are not as uncommon as you may think they are. According to American Heart Association, of the estimated 805,000 heart attacks each year in US, 170,000 of them are silent heart attacks. As the name suggests, these attacks are difficult to recognize but not impossible. We spoke to consultant interventional cardiologists Pankaj Vinod Jariwala of Yashoda Hospitals and Dr. P Praveen Kumar of Karpagam Hospital Dr. Krunal Tamakuwala KD Hospital, to understand more about it. Who Is At Risk for Silent Heart Attacks? Silent heart attacks are becoming more common, and they aren't just affecting older men. Doctors are now seeing them in people as young as their late 30s and early 40s, especially those with high-stress jobs. Dr Jariwala said, “They mistake early signs for lifestyle issues: acidity after a heavy dinner, shoulder pain from sitting at a laptop, or tiredness from long hours.” As Dr. Krunal Tamakuwala points out, the real danger is not that these heart attacks are completely "symptomless," but that their symptoms are so common that they are easily ignored. By the time a person finally sees a doctor, their heart may already be seriously damaged. “Sometimes, it arrives silently, hidden behind complaints we consider minor. That is why doctors urge patients not to ignore symptoms that linger or feel unusual, even if they seem harmless at first.” explained Dr Tamakuwala What Are The Symptoms Of Silent Heart Attacks? Many people mistake the early signs of a silent heart attack for everyday issues. Symptoms like AcidityShoulder painTirednessThese are often brushed off as normal problems from a busy lifestyle. In places like India, people tend to make the problem worse by self-medicating with antacids or painkillers, which only delays getting proper medical help. The reason these heart attacks are so confusing is due to something called referred pain. According to Dr. P Praveen Kumar, the nerves that carry pain signals from the heart are the same ones that connect to the stomach, back, and shoulders. This means that a problem with your heart can cause discomfort in another part of your body. For people with diabetes, the situation is even more complicated. They may not feel the classic chest pain at all because their nerve sensitivity is reduced. For them, a silent heart attack might feel like Simple bloatingIndigestionA dull backache.The key is to remember that not all heart attacks announce themselves with a dramatic crushing pain. Dr Praveen warns, “f these symptoms are joined by sweating, breathlessness, or dizziness, you should seek medical help immediately.” Doctors emphasize that lifestyle choices are key to keeping your heart healthy. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, quitting smoking, and managing stress are no longer optional, especially in countries like India, where heart disease is affecting younger people. “Everyday aches may feel ordinary, but when it comes to the heart, they could be the difference between early intervention and irreversible damage.” 

silent heart attack could look like every day aches: cardiologist reveals signs you shouldn’t ignore

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Silent Heart Attack Could Look Like Every Day Aches: Cardiologists Reveals Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

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