Not a ‘full blown heart attack’

[Manhattan1]

one night last year awakened by bad left arm pain .. mild discomfort left side chest spreading to shoulder.. continued sporadically next day.. finally called 111 that evening resulting in ambulance trip to hospital.. troponin reading of 12.. i know it’s normally a higher reading for suspected HA.. but what took me back a bit was when doctor said ‘we don’t think you’re having a ‘full blown’ HA.. thankfully second troponin didn’t go any higher and i was allowed to go home… but has anyone else ever been told this thing about ‘not a full blown HA’?.. maybe i should’ve asked that question of the doctor myself lolol

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

I have been told my heart has been bruised by my coronary vasospasms. The lack of blood supply damaged my heart muscle, but it wasn't permanent damage, no infarction or death of my heart muscle tissue.

I was sent for a cardiac MRI to confirm this diagnosis.

I have ECG changes that are associated with having a heart attack, however my Troponin blood levels have so far been only slightly raised.

One Cardiologist said to me you can have a little bit of a heart attack but you can't be a little bit pregnant 😂

[Manhattan1 in reply to Milkfairy]

🤣🤣.. just seemed a strange thing for him to say lol. not a full blown HA.. should’ve asked him if i was suffering from half a HA lol., but seriously i feel stupid now for not asking the relevant question.. if it happens again i’ll be sure to ask lol

[Manhattan1 in reply to Milkfairy]

my Cardiologist told me last year that a couple of ECGs showed Q wave and T wave changes that would normally mean a previous HA but said angiogram last November didn’t show any signs of HA.. still get twinges now and again.. but haven’t been near A&E since the angiogram 👍.. hope you’re keeping well😊

[Hun084]

Hey when I had a heart attack in May this year, I asked the cardiologist if it was minor or major. He said there is no thing as minor or major heart attack. A heart attack is a heart attack. Hope that's helpful. Hx

[Brixcos]

Reading this thread with interest. I had a NSTEMI which apparently is the best type of heart attack to have (apart from, of course, no heart attack at all!) So I guess mine could have been called "not a full blown HA..."?

[Hearty21]

I had a HA in Feb this year with slightly raised Troponin levels. Cardiologist said your chances of living a long healthy life is as good as mine because my heart didn’t suffer any major damage. My EF after HA was just over 60%.

But HA is a HA. It is a heavy tool on mental health and our chances of getting a second one are higher. Next time we might not get lucky to get a small one -

[Manhattan1 in reply to Hearty21]

can you remember what your troponin level was?

[Hearty21 in reply to Manhattan1]

Yes it was 300

[Manhattan1 in reply to Hearty21]

must be different measuring methods.. suspected HA level is 16 or 18 i believe

[Thismorning]

No angiogram then to see if your arteries were blocked? Could you have had Takotsubo?

[Manhattan1 in reply to Thismorning]

angiogram a few weeks later showed mild/moderate ‘furring’ of LAD.. no sign of muscle damage

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Thismorning]

About 10% of heart attacks occur without any permanent blockages of the coronary arteries. Myocardial infarction non obstructive coronary artery disease MINOCA.

Most common causes, microvascular dysfunction, vasospastic angina, spontaneous coronary artery dissection and a blood clot.

All of the above are more common in women.

[LesleyJ59 in reply to Milkfairy]

Mine was believed to be aused by a clot. Just a small amount of damage in a minor blood vessel in the heart - they said it's 'sluggish'.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to LesleyJ59]

Did they consider spontaneous coronary artery dissection?SCAD causes tears in the inner lining of the coronary arteries which can bleed, leading to a blood clot forming.

[LesleyJ59 in reply to Milkfairy]

I'm not sure, but I think they would have told me if it was an issue as they were scratching their heads over it for a while. I had to spend over an hour in a scanner to observe the heart working.

[LesleyJ59]

Sadly although I had a 'small' HA three years ago my troponin levels were 200 - a good job they did the test as they were about to send me home with antacids.

[Hearty21 in reply to LesleyJ59]

The day of my HA, I was told by my GP that I have stomach issue and asked me to take Gaviscon.

[Manhattan1 in reply to Hearty21]

unbelievable!

[LesleyJ59 in reply to Hearty21]

The symptoms aren't always easy to pick up in every case, especially with women, who present differently. It can easily look like stomach problems, but for me the troponin test swung it. My mother had exactly the opposite possible diagnoisis - they wanted to make sure she wasn't having heart problems when it turned out to be her digestion. Every case is different.

[Manhattan1]

unbelievable!

[Speedbuggy]

I thought I was having an heart attack but the paramedics said it was acid reflux and left me at home. I later went to A&E myself because I got worse and they checked my troponin level it was 185. They diagnosed myocardial infarction NSTEMI and then 12hrs later I had 3 stents fitted in one right artery. For women it seems to be less obvious that we are having a heart attack so always trust your instincts and get properly checked out dont rely on paramedics