Silent but just as dangerous

Silent heart attacks impact a patient’s health in the same way and with the same severity as a heart attack that presents symptoms.
The impact depends on how big the heart muscle is that died or is scarred. If it’s a large muscle, then it is a significant impact. If it’s a small muscle, it’s a smaller impact.

Silent heart attacks are more serious. Anything that happens without any warning, without any symptom to push you to go to the hospital or to your doctor, is serious.
If you feel nothing, the damage will be done at home instead of having your situation managed by your doctor.

How silent heart attacks are detected

Silent heart attack sufferers generally won’t know they have suffered an attack until they see their doctor and have an electrocardiogram. However, if the silent heart attack was severe, individuals may begin to experience shortness of breath after the incident.

Risk factors

Individuals at higher risk for heart attacks, silent or not, include people who:

Have diabetes
Have a family history of heart problems
Smoke
Have high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
High levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to plaque forming on the walls of arteries, which can create blockages within those arteries.

Prevention of heart attacks, silent or otherwise

There are things all of us as human beings must do, whether or not we have a family history of heart disease, whether or not we are young or old. He recommends daily exercise, a healthy diet and not smoking as key factors in maintaining good heart health.

Talk with your doctor about your risk factors and steps you can take to promote a healthier heart.