Cases of heart attacks have increased rapidly in the last few years. Many videos are seen on social media and media, in which a person is sitting, eating, playing or dancing, but suddenly has a heart attack. Sometimes, due to lack of timely treatment, the person even dies. This raises the question: Does a heart attack come on suddenly? Doesn’t our body give any advance warning? If you have similar questions, then let us explain the signals our body shows before a heart attack, which if understood can save lives.
What early warning signs does the body give?
According to the American Heart Association, the body can show several warning signs hours or days before a heart attack. These include chest discomfort, pain spreading to other parts of the body, difficulty breathing and sudden sweating. The Mayo Clinic reports that the most common sign of a heart attack is chest tightness or heaviness. The pain can sometimes spread to the left arm, back, neck, jaw, or teeth.
Sudden cold sweats, nausea and dizziness are also warning signs. In addition, several other reports indicate that many patients experience unusual fatigue before a heart attack. Women in particular often complain of unexplained weakness and fatigue. Common symptoms include chest pain or heaviness, cold sweats and nausea, dizziness, widespread pain and weakness, shortness of breath and unusual fatigue.
Why do heart attacks happen?
Now we turn to the question of why heart attacks occur. The simple answer is that heart attacks occur when the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle, become blocked. Blockages are usually caused by cholesterol deposits, fat deposits and clots. This obstructed blood flow deprives the heart of oxygen, leading to a heart attack. To avoid this, one should adopt a healthy lifestyle and schedule regular health check-ups. In addition, smoking and alcohol should be avoided, as these are the most common causes of heart attacks.