In the past few years, we have all learnt a great deal about heart attack symptoms, its causes, and various preventive measures. However, did you know that with all the buzz around the topic and with all the people talking about whatever suits them, there’s a good chance you may have been believing some concoctions about the same. Through this blog, we aim to debunk common myths about the symptoms of heart attack.
Some Common Myths About Heart Attack Symptoms
We all know what are the symptoms of a heart attack. It is also important to be able to differentiate facts from untrue statements that people go about believing. Here are some common related myths and how they stand untrue:
Myth 1: Heart Attack is the Same as Cardiac Arrest
The terms cardiac arrest and heart attack are often used synonymously, and wrongly so. Both conditions are related to insufficient supply of blood to different parts of the body but are different. Heart attack occurs when there is a blockage in one of the coronary arteries present in your body, whereas cardiac arrest is when the heart stops pumping enough blood to different body parts.
Cardiac arrest and heart attack symptoms may also vary. A person suffering from heart attack is usually conscious, however, anyone suffering from a cardiac arrest becomes unconscious because of improper breathing. You can say that heart attack can be one of the major causes of cardiac arrest. This is when a person suffering from heart attack develops a heart rhythm that is dangerous, leading to cardiac arrest.
Experts’ Advice: Both heart attack and cardiac arrest are serious health conditions. Seek immediate medical care if you face any symptoms related to the same.
Myth 2: Young Individuals Cannot Suffer from Heart Attack
The statement that only older individuals are at a risk of heart attack is nothing more than a misconception. Even though it is less common for young people to be at risk, they still do suffer from the same. This can be because of a variety of reasons including poor lifestyle choices, genetics, underlying health conditions, excessive stress, and so on. Therefore, it becomes important to be aware of heart attack symptoms like chest discomfort or pain, cold sweats, nausea, lightheadedness, and pain in arms, jaw, neck, stomach or back.
Myth 3: Women are at a Lower Risk of Heart Attack than Men
Heart diseases are as risky for women as for men. Roughly the same number of women die from heart attack every year as compared to men. Even the symptoms of heart attack faced by women may differ from those suffered by men. Common heart attack symptoms in women include shortness of breath, abdominal discomfort, back pain, sweating, increased heartbeat, and so on.
Did You Know? As per reports by British Heart Foundation (BHF), coronary heart disease is responsible for twice as many deaths in women as breast cancer.
Myth 4: Chest Pain is the Only Major Symptom of Heart Attack
As commonly portrayed by the media, chest pain is not the only major symptom of heart attack. There may be cases when chest pain is not even one of the early symptoms of heart attack. Other symptoms that you should look out for include nausea, upper body pain, shortness of breath, and so on. You should seek immediate medical attention upon experiencing these. Some heart attacks can also occur without any symptoms! These are termed as silent myocardial infarctions.
Myth 5: You can Eat Anything if You Consume a Cholesterol Lowering Drug
It is true that a drug like statin can help lower the cholesterol levels in your body. However, the statement that anything unhealthy you eat does not have any adverse effect on your heart stands entirely untrue. What you should note is that cholesterol lowering drugs are not an alternative to eating healthy; you should maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet. You should also work on certain lifestyle changes that can benefit your specific needs and conditions. You can also connect with your healthcare provider for advice on the possible heart attack symptoms as well as their prevention.
Myth 6: A Small Heart Attack is not a Big Deal
This is among the most dangerous statements for any individual to believe in. Any kind of heart attack, irrespective of its severity, is a serious health condition that requires immediate medical attention. Even a small heart attack can cause chronic damage to your heart, increase the risk of future heart attacks, or lead to any long term complications. Even if you suffer from mini heart attack symptoms, go to the hospital and consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that any individual, regardless of their age, gender and lifestyle choices, can suffer from heart attack. Therefore, it becomes im[portant to be aware of the common and not-so-common heart attack symptoms. It is also important to work on the maintenance of an overall healthy lifestyle in order to minimize the risk of the same.
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