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(31.03.2025) A heart attack is often not recognized because the symptoms are atypical or only mild. High-risk patients in particular should also correctly interpret hidden signs, says an expert.

Burning chest pain that radiates into the left arm as well as persistent anxiety, fear and shortness of breath: these are the typical symptoms of a heart attack, especially in men. However, some patients, especially women, show far less specific symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea or dizziness. "The risk of overlooking a so-called silent heart attack is still high," says Prof. Dr. Dirk Westermann, Medical Director of the Department of Cardiology and Angiology at the University Heart Center Freiburg - Bad Krozingen at the Freiburg University Medical Center.

An easing of symptoms is not the all-clear

"Especially when the symptoms stop on their own after a few minutes, many people underestimate the health risk," says the cardiologist. However, this remains even after a temporary circulatory disorder of the heart has subsided. In addition, the risk of a heart attack is greatly increased in the days and weeks afterwards. To avoid serious long-term damage, rapid treatment in hospital is essential. "The earlier a heart attack is treated, the better the chances of recovery," emphasizes Westermann.

Call the emergency services immediately if unsure

Even in the case of atypical symptoms that point to the heart, the threshold for calling the emergency services immediately via the European emergency number 112 should be low. They can record the electrical activity of the heart using an electrocardiogram (ECG) and thus draw conclusions about the blood flow to the heart. If the suspicion is confirmed, the patient must be taken immediately to a hospital with a cardiac catheterization laboratory. There, the blockage is opened by dilating the affected area with a balloon using a catheter and stabilizing the vessel with a wire mesh known as a stent. This allows nutrients and oxygen to reach the heart cells again.

Many factors increase the risk of a heart attack

A heart attack is a circulatory disorder of the heart muscle. It is usually caused by a blockage in the coronary arteries. As a result of the undersupply, muscle cells of the heart die and the tissue becomes scarred. This reduces the heart's pumping capacity. The remaining healthy heart muscle tissue is at risk of being overloaded, which increases the risk of death. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and diabetes increase the risk of a heart attack. For this reason, anyone with one or more risk factors should press for effective preventive treatment and also take hidden signs of a heart attack seriously.

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