You likely know the common signs of a heart attack such as chest or arm pain, shortness of breath, and cold sweats. However, you can have a heart attack without those typical symptoms.
Some people will experience atypical or very subtle symptoms including upper body aches, nausea, vomiting, and unusual fatigue in the midst of an attack. If you have a heart condition and feel some of these "silent" symptoms, doctors could misdiagnose your condition as anxiety, muscle strain, stomach issues or other diseases that can be confused with a heart attack.
What heart attack symptoms can be missed or misdiagnosed?
Many subtle or atypical symptoms can be easily overlooked or mimic other conditions. For example:
- A burning sensation or tightness in the chest may be mistaken as acid reflux.
- Chest tightness and lightheadedness or dizziness are also possible indicators of anxiety attacks.
- A sore back or tenderness of the chest area may also point to inflammation of the cartilage in the ribs.
- Aching shoulders, back, or jaw can be mistaken for muscle tension.
- Sharp chest pains combined with painful or difficult breathing can also occur with lung conditions like pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, or pleuritis.
Who is at risk of a missed heart attack?
Some people have a higher risk of missed heart attack symptoms than others. Demographics and health history can influence the interpretation of certain signs.
Physicians may overlook or misinterpret signs in younger patients because they're not in a high-risk group. Another vulnerable demographic group for missed symptoms is women. They tend to have milder chest pain and atypical signs.
Where are missed heart attack symptoms more common?
Silent or atypical signs of a heart attack are more easily missed under certain circumstances. Doctors may overlook symptoms if they are rendering care when there are time pressures or limited resources.
Emergency Rooms
When a patient comes to a busy emergency clinic with heart attack symptoms, doctors can feel pressure to make a rapid diagnosis. If initial blood tests and an ECG appear normal, they may release the person without follow-up testing. However, a quick snapshot doesn't always reveal the big picture. Serial testing is a better indicator particularly if symptoms are mild.
Urgent Care Clinics
Walk-in clinics that offer urgent care usually don't have the same resources as a hospital. They can lack the ability to test for heart enzymes or run an ECG. If symptoms are atypical or mild, doctors may treat the symptoms, send the patient home, and recommend they call their primary care provider rather than ordering them to go to the hospital.
Why are missed heart attack symptoms dangerous?
A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart muscle is blocked. Without blood, the muscle can't get the oxygen it needs, and the tissue begins dying. The longer it takes to restore blood flow to the area, the more heart muscle dies.
If you have a heart attack with no or very subtle signs, you might not consider visiting the doctor. After all, you could conclude have a flu bug, heart burn, or strained muscles. You may not realize you have heart damage until further complications like heart failure or a more severe attack occur.
The delay can cause more heart damage, scar tissue from the dead muscle tissue, increased risk of arrythmias, acute cardiac arrest, and heart failure. In this case, you may need to consult an experienced medical malpractice lawyer like those at Thomas Law Offices.
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