'Silent' Heart Attack

[teachladk]

Hi there, I recently had a 'silent' heart attack and am looking for people to discuss this matter.

[blackcatluck3]

Hi.

I can’t speak from my own experience but a family member had a silent heart attack a couple years ago. No symptoms like chest pain etc, no known heart issues. It was picked up by Ambulance Crew (standard ECG when attended). Family Member had a urine infection which made them unwell.

They made a full recovery and not had issues since. Family member was 84 when this happened.

I hope you are doing okay as hearing any news like this can be an anxiety provoking time and have an impact on physical and mental health. Sending best wishes. X

[teachladk in reply to blackcatluck3]

Thank you for the reply. I am 45 years old and I am in the same place. However for me, the bottom of my leg swelled up with a rash. I am now well, but could be better, as my job keeps me busy (as a teacher), but am very cautious on when it could happen next. Thank you for reaching out.

[FrankWillbe]

Hi. I had a silent heart attack ( almost 2 yrs back) and as I didn't know I was having it I walked into the hospital (from the car park). I have since found out that a reasonable percentage of HAs are silent.I had tingling on my face and actually thought that I had experienced a mild stroke.

An ecg and blood tests showed i was having a HA and further tests discovered I had 2 blocked arteries. I am now back working after stents, a double bypass and an ICD (Own defib).

Before the ICD I felt not quite right while at a concert and the medical team stepped in, as soon as they found out my HA history they asked if i was experiencing any pain like I had before. I told them there had been no pain before and the outcome was that they took no risks and I was taken into hospital. It wasn't a HA, just BP issues.

Other than that all is fine and I am still learning about what I can do or not do!

[Bodypump51]

My CT angiogram showed that I had experienced a heart attack at some point historically. Was not aware of having one, my mum was the same. Cardiologist said it was probably whilst I was asleep which is interesting as my dad passed at a young age if a heart attack whilst asleep.

[Harefieldfan]

perhaps mine was silent. No pain at all I fainted in a garden centre; they called an ambulance; the paramedics said ‘we think you’ve had a heart attack because the ECG changed. But then it didn’t. ‘ two blocked arteries; two stents. Apparently it’s all different for women.

[fishonabike]

I have not had a silent heart attack, mine was Takotsubo (see Takitsubo.net) but, as an ex-nurse and health-aware person, I am aware that these happen much more often than people realise

this is most commonly because people do not recognize the symptoms, or they are mild and people think they are not serious - most commonly the symptoms are mistaken for indigestion/heartburn (which can feel very similar)

I am sorry to hear that this has happened to you - maybe this is a good opportunity for you you to find out more about all the symptoms, not just the classic "heart clutching, crippling chest pain", and let friends and family know that we all need to be more aware, for own own wellbeing

[tangotese]

Hi, by summer 2019 I had been finding myself slower at nearly 70 thinking I needed to do more at the gym. For years I had experienced a discomfort in base of thoat like you get running on a cold day. Later on "the day" I found myself too exhausted with that sore throat to do a small hill so used the car, then visited an unwell friend, made dinner and tried to remember how many non decaf coffees I'd had as I felt as if my heart was racing. Then felt something was really wrong so rang 111.Result: ambulance staff did ECG despite agreeing with me everything else was OK. Things then moved very fast, stented and informed triple bypass and valve repair needed which was done December that year.

Throat feeling may have been angina but I didn't know. As a female we are less likely to be diagnosed, possibly because we expect crushing pain but may not experience it that way. Also fewer females agree to take part in research programmes, hence less proven.

All good wishes.