When you think its indigestion, it could actually be a heart attack…

What is a heart attack like? Learn more

Wednesday, 7th April 2021

Heart diseases or cardiac diseases once upon a time looked upon as an age-related ailment is now one of the most widespread forms of ailment affecting nearly all age groups. One in two people is a heart patient in today’s times. Heart diseases have been deemed as a major lifestyle concern currently. The latest stats pertaining to heart diseases in our country, India, show that such diseases in the country are nearly double of the national averages in many of the Western countries. Despite being a major and increasing concern, not many are actually aware of what the heart attack symptoms could be.

"But it felt like I was having indigestion, except this time it was worse with sweating," said Mrs. Sharma. She, at that moment, failed to realize that she was going through a heart attack. Luckily she was rushed to the hospital just in time and an ECG done immediately clearly showed that Mrs. Sharma was having a heart attack (ST-Elevation myocardial infarction) triggered by a completely congested vessel. Immediately her vessel was dilated by means of two stents. The same applies to many patients in India who often mistake their heart attack for indigestion and delay to take action, which may sometimes prove to be life-threatening. In the case of Mrs. Sharma, she ignored her heart attack symptom for the entire day, tried to treat it through medicines like Digene as she thought it was mere heartburn or acidity but she couldn’t get any respite.

Also Read: Chronic Kidney Disease: All you should know.

Most people who have experienced a heart attack associate the pain of the attack with a chest pain that gradually radiates to one’s jaw and then down the left arm. For women, for those with diabetes, or those who are much aged, the classic heart attack pain may show some variations as in Mrs. Sharma’s case.

Commonly the pain associated with a heart attack is somewhat like tightness, pressure, a squeezing feel, strangling feel, a feel of immense heaviness on the chest, or a tight knot or band-like feeling in the midst of one’s chest. The pain often gives way to toothache or the feeling of a lump stuck in the throat. The pain of heart attack is by no means pin-prick or sharp, stabbing kind of pain.

Symptoms that tell you that it’s a heart attack pain:

• Sweating along with pain.
• Pain that aggravates on exertion.
• Nausea and vomiting along with the pain.
• Intense pressure pain on chest.
• Pain radiating down the left hand and to the shoulders and upper back.
• Pain radiating to the jaws.

When asked about her experience in detail Mrs. Sharma revealed that she had been suffering from this indigestion-like discomfort for about a week and she had been applying her home remedies to get relief. But that day nothing seemed to work and with every passing minute, the pain in her chest was just getting worst. In fact, the warning signs that her heart was giving her were overlooked and misunderstood by her. Timely treatment saved her life and she is fine now with the support of medications.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source:

Doctor NDTV