Shambhavi Tiwari, Amity University, Noida.
Roy T. Bennet, in his book, The Light in the Heart, quoted, “Follow your heart, listen to your inner voice, stop caring about what others think.” You won’t start following your heart literally. But just give a thought to how conveniently we use the term ‘heart’ in our general conversations. Surprisingly, we don’t even realize that we did. We tend to connect every emotion of ours to our hearts. Likewise, people often connect even the slightest pressure on the chest to their heart.
One of the most common analogies of the present-day world is chest pain: heart attack. Have you ever wondered whether the two of them can exist without each other or not? The answer is – Yes, they can! The occurrence of a heart attack is not as obvious as chest pain. If chest pain is momentary it may not necessarily be due to a heart attack. There can be other reasons. But if it is prolonged, for more than five minutes, and worsening, it can be due to a heart attack.
A heart attack occurs when the cardiac muscles are not sufficiently supplied by the oxygenated blood. This happens when arteries of the heart that supply the muscles with blood get blocked. But will this necessarily result in chest pain? A silent heart attack is characterized by pain so mild that won’t give any hint of a heart attack. This kind of heart attack is scientifically known as Silent Myocardial Infarction or SMI.
Breathlessness, dizziness, chest pain, spreading pain in the arms and back, etc. are the common symptoms of a heart attack. But SMI goes somewhat asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic, or with unrecognized symptoms. Indigestion, for instance, has nothing to do with the heart but it may sometimes give an ultimate indication of SMI. Similarly, prolonged and excessive fatigue can be considered as a sign of any ailment but one related to the heart.
The probable causes behind SMI are more or less similar to those behind a classic heart attack. The risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history, etc. Even the diagnostic methods for the two of them are somewhat similar. SMI can be detected with the help of an electrocardiogram to check the extent of muscle damage. Another method includes a protein, troponin T which is released by damaged cells of the heart. This method involves a blood test to detect the molecular footprints of the protein.
SMI often leaves scarred heart muscles and damages the heart. It goes unnoticed due to unclear occurrences of symptoms and so many people don’t seek immediate care. These factors combined can lead to a risk of a deadlier heart attack.
In a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Nov. 10, 2015, 2000 middle-aged people were tested. They were found free of any cardiovascular ailment. After 10 years, 8% of them were found to have scarred heart muscles which indicates a heart attack history. The more surprising fact was that 80% of them were unaware of their condition. Moreover, according to various studies in the field, SMI accounts for around 45% of total heart attacks.
Our heart does a tremendous amount of work and with great efficiency. It is never tired unless given a reason to be incompetent. Therefore, try to keep your body parameters under your control. Manage stress, get active, adapt to proper eating habits, and stay healthy. And, worry less if you ever feel pain or pressure on your chest. Stay calm and visit your doctor to get the things checked.
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References:
- C-K Wong and H D White; Recognising “painless” heart attacks; 2002; Heart; Vol:87(1): 3–5; DOI: 10.1136/heart.87.1.3
- The danger of “silent” heart attacks; 2020 Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. URL: health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-danger-of-silent-heart-attacks
- Three Types of Chest Pain That Won’t Kill You; 2019 Cleveland Clinic. URL: health.clevelandclinic.org/3-types-of-chest-pain-that-wont-kill-you/
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