{"id":3320,"date":"2019-01-27T09:04:03","date_gmt":"2019-01-27T09:04:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=3320"},"modified":"2021-03-24T15:41:53","modified_gmt":"2021-03-24T15:41:53","slug":"10-signs-of-a-widowmaker-heart-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/10-signs-of-a-widowmaker-heart-attack\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Signs of a Widowmaker Heart Attack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The left anterior descending artery is responsible for carrying fresh blood into the heart. This provides the heart with the oxygen that it requires in order to pump properly. Chronic Total Obstruction of this artery can cause what is referred to as a widowmaker heart attack. This occurs when the important LAD becomes 100 percent blocked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When this artery becomes blocked the heart can stop pumping very quickly. This is why this type of heart attack is referred to as a widowmaker. A widowmaker heart attack is not always fatal. If you know the signs and symptoms of this type of heart attack it is possible to get the help that you need before it is too late. It is possible to recover from this type of heart attack if it is caught in time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the signs that you may have if you are experiencing a widowmaker heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Chest Pain
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If you are experiencing chest pain it is not something that you should take lightly. With all of the vital blood vessels<\/a> and organs found in this area of the body, chest pain could be a sign that there is something really wrong. Not all chest pain is caused by something that you should be overly concerned with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, chest pain is something that can be quite alarming. If you are experiencing chest pain it could be a sign that you are having a heart attack. However, it can also be the result of something else such as angina. Angina is a condition that causes heart attack-like symptoms and is often a result of an underlying condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what, if you are experiencing chest pain it is important to go to your doctor right away so that a proper diagnosis can be provided and treatment can be started right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Excessive Sweating
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It can be quite awkward to sweat. Sweating <\/a>can leave us smelly and may even cause stains on our clothing. Technically, sweating is an evolutionary advantage. It helps to regulate our body temperature and also can help to rid the body of toxins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that sweating excessively can be a sign that something is not right in the body. A person suffering from a heart attack is likely to have extreme stress when the pain in the chest and the tightness of the chest occurs. This can cause a person to start to sweat excessively. The most important thing you can do if you are experiencing this is to try to remain calm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are experiencing chest pain and start to sweat for no reason, seek medical attention right away as this could be a sign that you are having a heart attack and a doctor is the only one who will be able to determine the cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Dizziness
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Everyone feels dizzy on occasion. In fact, feeling dizzy or lightheaded is quite common. Being dizzy can result from many different things. Simply getting up to fast or not eating can cause a person to become lightheaded or dizzy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are times when becoming light-headed may be the sign of something that is not right in the body and when this occurs you should really go see a doctor. Feeling lightheaded is one of the symptoms of a heart attack. While being lightheaded is not necessarily a dangerous thing, it can be risky if you are driving or operating other heavy machinery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why it is important to take this symptom seriously and to seek medical attention as soon as possible. This is especially true if you are experiencing chest pain and some of the other symptoms of a heart attack as there is very little time to waste when having a heart attack. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Jaw Pain
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Not everyone realizes just how interconnected the human body really is. Every part of the body is connected in some way or another. There are blood vessels and nerves intertwined throughout the body. If there is a complication in one area of the body symptoms of the issue can easily be felt in other areas of the body as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the case for a heart attack<\/a> as one of the symptoms of this condition is a pain in the area of the jaw. If you are experiencing chest pain and jaw pain at the same time, it could be caused by the heart not working properly. Chest and jaw pain are symptoms of a heart attack, so if you are experiencing these symptoms you should take them very seriously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If these symptoms occur without any explanation, do not waste any time getting emergency medical help as it could be the sign of something seriously wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Indigestion and Heartburn
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One symptom of a heart attack that may not seem like it is related to the condition is heartburn. Heartburn feels like a burning sensation inside the chest. When the heart is doing extra work, it may feel like your food gets lodged in your chest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heartburn <\/a>can be caused by many different things including bending over, eating, working out, or at times when you lie down at night. Indigestion refers to having an upset stomach feeling. A person who has any type of blockage around the heart may experience indigestion. One of the issues with indigestion is that many people will simply treat it and do not realize that it is the sign of something more serious, such as a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are not feeling well and think that it is just heartburn or indigestion, there is a chance that it could be something more. Getting checked out by your doctor is recommended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Nausea
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When a person is feeling emotional or physical stress, it is common to feel sick to our stomachs. In fact, if you become extremely stressed you may even actually vomit. Nausea <\/a>is often a sign of the body being under some type of trauma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it can also be caused by something milder. Since an issue with the heart can be a considerable trauma, it is no real surprise that nausea can be a symptom when something is wrong with the heart. Many people who have experienced a heart attack complain about being nauseous during the attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there are many reasons that a person may feel nauseous at any time and for many different reasons when this symptom is accompanied by some of the other symptoms on the list it could be a sign of something worse and it is important to make sure to go to your doctor right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Difficulty Breathing
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The heart is responsible for helping to circulate oxygen through the body. When the circulation is affected, different areas of the body can become short on oxygen. This will result in the body trying to compensate. A heart attack can cause a decrease in oxygen flow to the lungs and heart. This can cause a person to feel short of breath. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The restriction of blood flow into the heart can cause an extreme amount of pain in the chest. If you can relax the chest muscles it can help. However, if there is a true blockage to the artery of the heart, simply relaxing is not going to make the pain go away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are having trouble breathing and experiencing chest pain<\/a> along with any of the other symptoms on this list, go to the emergency room right away as this is a sign that your heart is struggling and you need medical intervention as soon as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Random Pain
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There are some people who will simply experience random pain when they are experiencing a heart attack. This pain can occur in the head, neck, arms, legs, shoulders, or any area of the body at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pain could be sharp and stabbing or dull and achy. This pain is often the result of not enough blood <\/a>getting to the area of the body. Severe cramping may occur as well. If you are suffering from chest pain or feel like your chest is tightening and you become dizzy or lightheaded for no reason and you also have random areas in the body that are in pain, it could be a sign that you are having a heart attack and you should not ignore them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to make sure that you seek medical attention right away in order to rule out a heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Sense of Doom<\/strong>
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While many of the symptoms that we have looked at so far are things that you would probably already associate with a heart attack, one that is a little less obvious and common is a sense of impending doom. This occurs because of changes to the heart rate and breathing, which in turn sends signals to the sympathetic nervous system in charge of the \u2018fight or flight\u2019 response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To put this more simply, when you have a high heart rate, your body interprets this as \u2018something must be wrong\u2019. Thus, signals are sent via the vagus nerve and these trigger changes in your metabolism <\/a>and mood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are produced, and this puts you in a state of mind of panic and anxiety. You, therefore, might get a feeling that \u2018something is wrong\u2019 before you actually notice that you are having a heart attack!
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10. Fainting <\/strong>
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Another interesting symptom that you might not realize is linked with a heart attack is fainting<\/a>. Of course, this makes sense though \u2013 as blood and oxygen struggle to make it to the brain, this can leave it starved of energy and therefore unable to operate normally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result is that you can find yourself feeling faint and potentially even passing out. This is made worse by the fact that we will often also hyperventilate at this time and thereby reduce the available carbon dioxide that we need to utilize <\/em>oxygen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While painting in itself isn\u2019t likely to be harmful, it can, of course, be dangerous if it causes you to fall or to pass out while operating heavy machinery. For this reason, it is extremely important that you sit down, or that you find someone to help keep an eye on you and ensure that you aren\u2019t likely to fall.
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11. Rapid Heart Rate<\/strong>

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One of the most obvious symptoms of a heart attack of any sort is an increase in heart rate. Of course, this occurs because your body is flooded with adrenaline and cortisol <\/a>again, which causes the heart to go into overdrive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or to put it another way: your body knows that it isn\u2019t getting the blood to the organs and muscles as needed, and thus it responds by increasing your heart rate to try and make sure that the blood is able to get around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, you might feel as though your heart is pounding in your chest and you might become more aware of it. The worst thing you can do at this point is to panic though. If you panic, then you will actually increase your heart rate further <\/em>and thereby exacerbate the issue more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, try to remain as calm as possible. Get some rest, and remember that there are many other potential explanations for these symptoms (which isn\u2019t to say you shouldn\u2019t call a physician as soon as possible).
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12. Sleepiness<\/strong>

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It might seem strange to suggest that as your heart rate is increasing and you are becoming highly alert and stressed, that you might also feel drowsy and stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason for this, of course, is once again the low amount of oxygen <\/a>and blood making it to the brain, which can make you feel drowsy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The worst thing you can do at this point though is to sit down and relax. Doing so will put you at risk of potentially passing out, which can leave you with no way of getting help. The worst-case scenario is that you are unable to call for help and no one finds you. Call someone right away and ask for help \u2013 even if it is from a stranger.
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13. Sense of Detachment<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another lesser-known symptom of a heart attack that is also less direct, is a sense of being \u2018detached\u2019 from events going on around you. More specifically, you might find yourself feeling \u2018floaty\u2019 or unable to really engage with things that are happening. You might feel giggly even, and you are likely to find that you don\u2019t experience pain to the same degree \u2013 those elements being desirable of course!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sense of detachment is caused again by an excess amount of oxygen. When you have huge oxygen saturation in your blood, it means that you have very low carbon dioxide<\/a>. Seeing as the body uses carbon dioxide in order to utilize oxygen, this is ironically a way to starve the brain of oxygen!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why you feel light-headed if you hold your breath for a long time, and it\u2019s also why gas and air are effective at helping you to feel better during a painful procedure.
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14. Vomiting<\/strong>
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Finally, you may also experience vomiting <\/a>if you are having any kind of heart attack. We\u2019ve already seen that a heart attack can cause nausea due to the sheer strain it places on the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what is also useful to recognize, is that the huge amounts of adrenaline and cortisol produced when you are having a heart attack will also cause blood to be redirected from the organs to the muscles and brain. This includes the stomach, which is why we often get a feeling of butterflies when we are anxious. In extreme cases, this can be enough to cause vomiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And not only this, but the vomiting can also be a way for the body to try and drive out potential bacteria or toxins \u2013 as it may suspect that these are what is causing the problem to begin with.
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