Q&A: Confusing heart attack symptoms
People often mistake the symptoms of a heart attack for something less severe. According to the National Institutes of Health, it’s why more than half of the 1.1 million heart attack victims in America do not receive immediate medical attention, and die. Heart attack symptoms can range from stomachaches to heartburn to anxiety, and these symptoms often get brushed off. So we asked Paducah cardiologist Dr. David Hogancamp to help clarify what to watch for.
What are some conditions that mimic a heart attack?
Acid reflux disease (GER D), heartburn, gallbladder disease, gallbladder disease, blood clots in the lungs, acute bronchitis, nerve compression, and pneumonia all have similar symptoms as a heart attack. Often, it’s hard to attribute a cause to the symptoms without proper testing methods, but it is possible to describe characteristic features of each.
What’s a common symptom that gets overlooked?
People often experience severe chest pain, also known as angina. It may be a warning sign of an impending heart attack and a heart attack itself. The symptoms of a heart attack and angina are very similar, but angina is usually less intense and much briefer than a heart attack. People typically feel a tightness or heaviness across the upper chest, as though someone is sitting on them, making it hard to breathe. The discomfort may radiate to the shoulders and arms (usually the left), the upper back, neck and jaw. Often, there is sweating, and sometimes nausea, with or without vomiting.
How can people tell if arm pain is heart-related?
One way to tell is if they feel pain along the inner side of the left arm. Most times they’ll feel discomfort in the chest, too. Sometimes numbness is present, and this can be confused with symptoms of nerve compression or stroke.
How can people tell the difference between heartburn and a heart attack?
Heartburn usually occurs after a meal or while lying down. It begins in the upper abdomen, though you can feel it in the chest, too. It’s usually a burning sensation, and may be very similar to symptoms of a heart attack. Usually, there is no shortness of breath or sweating.
What should you do if you’re simply not sure?
These descriptions are generalizations, and don’t apply to all cases. It’s fairly easy to be fooled by a patient’s description of symptoms. If you have concerns that you may have a heart problem, seek medical attention promptly. When in doubt, get it checked out.