Plenty of people have aches and pains that make them question whether it’s time to see a doctor. One of the scariest might be chest pain.
It’s important to have an ongoing discussion about heart health and to be an advocate for yourself so you can understand things like high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease, but also how to prevent them. One of the most serious topics is heart attack, and it’s especially important to know the warning signs.
“A heart attack is most often caused by a buildup of plaque inside the coronary arteries,” said Dr. Aziz Alkatib, an interventional cardiologist with Detroit Medical Center. “The coronary arteries supply the heart with blood and oxygen. If any of this plaque were to rupture, it would lead to clot formation that could cut off the blood supply to the heart, and this leads to a heart attack.”
Alkatib said plaque forms for multiple reasons, but the most common reasons are bad habits like smoking, eating an unhealthy diet and being too sedentary.
Symptoms and warning signs
Alkatib said most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest.
“It’s described as an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing or heaviness that lasts longer than a few minutes and it won’t go away, or it can go away and come back,” he said.
Sometimes, the pain or discomfort can involve other parts of the body, such as:
- One or both of your arms.
- The back.
- The neck.
- Your jaw.
- The stomach.
Other warning signs to be aware of are shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
“It’s very important to seek medical attention right away if you think you might be having a heart attack,” Alkatib said. “Do not ignore the symptoms.”
Stress effects on the heart
Many people who struggle with high stress or mental health issues have concerns about their heart health. Alkatib said these kinds of things can lead to trouble with the heart.
“Chronic stress and anxiety can activate the body’s fight-or-flight response, which releases adrenaline and other stress hormones,” he said. “Over time, this excess exposure can have negative health effects, such as elevated blood pressure and damage to blood vessels, which can lead to heart disease and even a heart attack. It’s serious and not something that should be ignored.”
Treatments and recovery
Alkatib said one of the most common treatments for a heart attack is a cardiac catheterization, which is a minimally invasive procedure.
“This is done to open up the blocked arteries through angioplasty or placing a stent,” he said. “Medications such as blood thinners and for blood pressure are often prescribed for a period of time.”
He said he also encourages patients to enroll in DMC’s cardiac rehab program, which is medically supervised, designed to improve patient heart health, and provides support and education to patients after having a heart attack.
Heart health assessment
One of the quickest and best ways to understand your personal heart health is to take a free online heart health assessment.
You will be asked questions about your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, activity level and other personal information.
You will then be provided with your personalized risk scores -- from minimal risk to very high risk -- for things like coronary artery disease, heart failure and atrial fibrillation, to name a few.
Click or tap here to take your heart health assessment.
Once you receive your results, you can schedule an appointment with a DMC cardiovascular expert to discuss ways to improve your heart health and quality of life.