When abnormalities develop in the heart or blood vessels, various symptoms can appear besides chest pain, but they may go undetected early because they resemble symptoms commonly experienced in everyday life. It is therefore advisable to be aware of the early symptoms of cardiovascular disease.
◇Cold sweats
If you sweat despite not having exercised or being in hot weather, it could be a myocardial infarction, in which a blocked coronary artery causes heart muscle tissue to die. According to the journal Clinical Cardiology, sweating may occur when the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated as a protective response to myocardial infarction pain, or when temporary low blood pressure activates the sympathetic nervous system. In one actual case in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, a 13-year-old boy was taken to a hospital with cold sweats, a weak pulse and low blood pressure and was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction.
◇Fatigue, shortness of breath
When heart failure develops, a person becomes tired and short of breath after only slight movement. The heart sends oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body through its pumping action. When heart failure leaves the heart unable to properly receive and pump out blood, cells do not receive an adequate blood supply. At first, the heart attempts to compensate for the reduced cardiac output by increasing its muscle mass and beating faster, but its function eventually declines. This causes fatigue and shortness of breath, and may also lead to severe coughing. According to the journal BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, a study of 12,285 patients with heart failure found that 39% experienced fatigue and 62% experienced shortness of breath. If you become so tired and short of breath that even light activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying a shopping bag become difficult, consider seeing a cardiologist.
◇Shoulder pain
The American Heart Association, AHA, said that a myocardial infarction can cause unexplained pain in the shoulder, arm, jaw, back or neck. Pain or discomfort may also spread to the upper abdomen. The journal Archives of Physiotherapy reported a case in which a 46-year-old male patient was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction after experiencing acute shoulder pain that persisted for a week. Medical professionals said the brain cannot clearly distinguish the location of the pain because pain signals originating in the heart and sensory signals from the chest and arm converge in the same group of nerve cells.
◇Cold sweats
If you sweat despite not having exercised or being in hot weather, it could be a myocardial infarction, in which a blocked coronary artery causes heart muscle tissue to die. According to the journal Clinical Cardiology, sweating may occur when the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated as a protective response to myocardial infarction pain, or when temporary low blood pressure activates the sympathetic nervous system. In one actual case in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, a 13-year-old boy was taken to a hospital with cold sweats, a weak pulse and low blood pressure and was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction.
◇Fatigue, shortness of breath
When heart failure develops, a person becomes tired and short of breath after only slight movement. The heart sends oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body through its pumping action. When heart failure leaves the heart unable to properly receive and pump out blood, cells do not receive an adequate blood supply. At first, the heart attempts to compensate for the reduced cardiac output by increasing its muscle mass and beating faster, but its function eventually declines. This causes fatigue and shortness of breath, and may also lead to severe coughing. According to the journal BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, a study of 12,285 patients with heart failure found that 39% experienced fatigue and 62% experienced shortness of breath. If you become so tired and short of breath that even light activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying a shopping bag become difficult, consider seeing a cardiologist.
◇Shoulder pain
The American Heart Association, AHA, said that a myocardial infarction can cause unexplained pain in the shoulder, arm, jaw, back or neck. Pain or discomfort may also spread to the upper abdomen. The journal Archives of Physiotherapy reported a case in which a 46-year-old male patient was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction after experiencing acute shoulder pain that persisted for a week. Medical professionals said the brain cannot clearly distinguish the location of the pain because pain signals originating in the heart and sensory signals from the chest and arm converge in the same group of nerve cells.