What is a Mild Heart Attack?

  • Mild heart attack, also called silent myocardial ischemia or silent myocardial infarction, is a condition in which the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen-rich blood due to a temporary but extensive blockage of the coronary artery.

    This condition can be caused by physical exertion, emotional stress, or other factors. It can be life-threatening because it increases the risk of further damage to the heart muscle and could cause you to die suddenly without displaying any symptoms.

    In general, a heart attack occurs when blood flow to an area of the heart gets blocked or restricted. This causes artery walls to rupture and release chemicals which can then cause damage throughout the whole body. While this condition would normally require immediate medical attention and emergency room treatment, it also comes in other forms with milder symptoms that may not require immediate medical attention.

Symptoms of mild heart attack

The early symptoms of mild heart attack are similar to indigestion or upset stomach. Although these symptoms are less severe than those related with a full-blown heart attack, it can still pose significant risk for those who have been following their regular workout routines or are working out regularly. They include:

 

  • ● Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure spreading throughout your chest.
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  • ● Sudden, severe pain in the centre of the chest.
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  • ● Shortness of the breath.
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  • ● Discomfort in the neck, back, shoulders or upper abdomen with nausea and vomiting. Sometimes symptoms can resemble indigestion or a viral illness.
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  • ● Sweating, or having difficulty breathing or feel like you are choking.
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  • ● Pain in arms, back and neck, which can spread to the jaw or stomach.
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The unique characteristics about these symptoms of mild heart attack are sudden occurrence and subduction within a few minutes. They may also be accompanied by feelings of anxiety and even turn out to be  panic; they may seem like a major crisis is happening.

 

Generally, these factors are indicative of a critical case of heart disease, they can also occur due to something else as well.

 

Mild heart attacks cause more damage than advanced critical cases!! This is why it’s so important to check in with your doctor if you notice/experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms. If your doctor decides that you need treatment for a mild heart attack, then you’ll be on safer ground.

Signs Of Mild Heart Attacks

If you’ve been concerned about something on your chest, It may not be a normal heartache. These signs of mild heart attack can help you avoid potential fatal consequences. Seek the service of an expert cardiology hospital or doctor if you experience any of these signs:

 

  • ● Severe chest pain. It feels like someone has run a spike into your chest; it may be more intense than what you would feel during a typical heart attack.
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  • ● Nausea or lightheadedness, which may worsen over time.
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  • ● Shortness of breath that gets worse with time.
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  • ● A stiff neck and jaws with jaw pain or numbness on one side of your face and difficulty opening your mouth to speak or swallow, which can spread to the other side of your face and down the arm on the same side as the trouble speaking.
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  • ● Skin turning pale and feels like it is burning.
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  • ● Sweating or nausea when you lie down.
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  • ● Nail-biting or tapping of the fingers.
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  • ● Sudden weakness and dizziness
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  • ● Swelling in the neck, groin, or arm.
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  • ● A constant feeling of anxiety
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  • ● Pain spreads to the back of the neck and jaw or into one arm or shoulder.
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You should also know that if you have had a heart attack in the past, then you are more likely to have another one in the future. This is why it’s so important to contact your doctor and have the issue checked out if you are experiencing any of these signs. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your heart health.

Causes of Mild Heart Attack

The causes of a mild heart attack are not well understood. Most of the time, there is nothing wrong with the heart’s electrical system that would cause a heart attack.

 

It is difficult to know the exact reasons behind a mild heart attack. There are many potential factors that could come into play and these conditions rarely show up together. It is always good to keep an eye on them.

 

Don’t hesitate to seek medical attention for anything unusual you experience when at rest.

So, what causes these mini heart attacks? Well, there’s a lot going on with your cardiovascular system and sometimes it can go wrong in different ways.

 

Plaque – The reason heard most often is a piece of plaque (fatty build-up) has broken off and has caused a clot to form in the coronary artery (the main one). The clot cuts off blood flow to the heart which can cause chest pain and other symptoms (dizziness, shortness of breath) within minutes.

 

  • Medications and alcohol use – It is important to check whether you’re on any drugs or alcohol that could potentially increase your chances of having a heart attack. Certain types of drugs can cause side effects like low blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems that can make you more susceptible to having a heart attack.
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  • Stress: It overburdens your heart and makes it work too hard and too much, causing a heart attack or abnormal heart rhythm. (arrhythmia). Being under stress for a longer period due to a permanent job change or having an understaffed workplace can lead to an irregular heartbeat.

Nowadays, job-related heart problems are the leading contributors to triggering this problem.

 

Lack of Sleep – Sleep deprivation is also among the top reasons for mild heart attacks by causing you to be tired and stressed at night and may not be able to give your body enough rest which has been proven to increase the chances of having a mild but fatal heart attack.

 

Another thing that may contribute to a mild heart attack is an irregular heartbeat that goes along with chest pain. This type of arrhythmia can cause heart attacks in people who are otherwise in good health.

 

Q. What is causing the irregular heartbeat?

  • High blood pressure: greater than 130/85 mmHg or 1408/739 MB
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  • Coronary artery disease: Coronary artery diseases cause one or both coronary arteries to narrow. When this happens, less oxygen and blood flow is able to reach the heart muscle and surrounding tissue, which can result in reduced function of the myocardium.
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  • ● Cardiac rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation or tachycardia.
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  • ● High levels of cholesterol in the blood, which may also be due to atherosclerosis
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  • ● A hyperactive thyroid.

 

Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of a heart attack. However, even people who have no signs of coronary artery disease still have an increased risk for heart attacks and other forms of cardiovascular problems.

Treatment Of Mild Heart Attack

There are several procedures that can help with the treatment of mild heart attacks. These procedures and medications can restrict the blood flow in your body which will restrict further damage to your heart muscle. They will also open your arteries up again so blood can flow to your body normally once more. You should never put off dealing with a heart attack. If the symptoms are mild, the pain will not go away on its own. It is important that you give yourself the best chance of survival and act immediately.

 

In order to treat a heart attack, blood flow to the affected heart muscle must be restored as quickly as possible. This can occur in a number of ways, including medicine and surgery. The following are the treatments for a mild heart attack.

Medication

There are several medications you can take to treat mild heart attacks, some of them include;

 

  • Aspirin: It reduces blood clotting, which helps maintain blood flow.
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  • Thrombolytics: These medications help dissolve blood clots, which are blocking blood flow. The sooner you get thrombolytic medicine, the more likely you are to recover and have less heart damage.
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  • Pain Medication: such as Morphine.
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  • Blood thinning medication:  Medication such as heparin, will most likely be prescribed to make your blood less sticky which will make it less prone to clot. Heparin is injected intravenously or as a subcutaneous injection.

Supplemental oxygen

It is frequently given to those who are experiencing breathing problems or have low blood oxygen levels, in addition to other heart attack treatments. The oxygen can be inhaled through a tube that lies just below your nose or a mask that covers your nose and mouth. This raises the volume of oxygen in your blood and relieves pressure on the heart.

There are several other procedures and programs to treat mini heart attacks which include Coronary artery bypass surgery, Coronary angioplasty and stenting, Cardiac rehabilitation and etc

People looking for the best heart hospital in Jaipur must visit our state-of-the-art healthcare facility to get the best heart surgery in Jaipur. We also specialize in heart bypass surgery in Jaipur.

Follow your doctor’s advice to prevent heart disease from worsening and a second heart attack. You may need to change your way of life. Here are some lifestyle adjustments you may make to reduce your risk and start living a healthy life:

  • ● Eating healthy
  • ● Frequently exercising
  • ● Stop smoking
  • ● Limit alcohol.

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