Signs and Symptoms of a Mild Heart Attack

A mild heart attack is not as severe as a typical heart attack and does not produce a standard heart attack pattern on the ECG. The most common cause of mild heart attack is a minor blockage in the artery, or growth of a blood clot on top of a burst of fatty plaque in the arteries. This plaque is a hardened fatty deposit in the artery which when gets ruptured, bursts and bleeds in the artery. The body tries to stop this bleeding which eventually results in a formation of a blood clot. This blood clot partially blocks or interrupts the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart, which sometimes damages the heart muscles. The damaged heart muscles release proteins called troponins and creatine kinase MB, which can be detected during a simple blood test. Some other causes of a mild heart attack can be excessively fast heart rate, smoking, low nutritious food, overexposure to thyroid hormone, low blood pressure, anemia, and low oxygen level in the blood. The pattern produced on the ECG due to a mild heart attack is usually called non ST segment elevation. The signs and symptoms of a mild heart attack differ from women than those of men.

Symptoms of a Mild Heart Attack

The symptoms of a mild heart attack vary from patient to patient, but some common signs of a mild heart attack are as follows:

• Nausea and anxiety
• Pain and pressure in the chest, chest discomfort ranging from tight feeling, aching or squeezing in the center of the chest which may last for a few minutes and can be intermittent.
• Body pain, especially pain in upper body parts
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating, feeling lightheaded, a sense of panic or doom

The symptoms of a mild heart attack seen prominently in women are as follows:

• Pain in the neck, stomach, shoulder, jaw, upper back and/or abdomen
• Sweating and vomiting
• Heartburn and clammy skin
• Feeling of dizziness
• Abnormal fatigue and exhaustion

Diagnosis and Treatment

A mild heart attack can be distinguished from a typical one by analyzing the pattern produced during ECG (electrocardiogram) testing. If the ECG graph consists of a ST segment elevation region, the patient is diagnosed with a typical heart attack and if there is a non ST segment elevation region in the graph, the patient is diagnosed with a mild heart attack. Another way of diagnosing a mild attack is by conducting a simple blood test. If the test indicates the presence of two proteins: troponins and creatine kinase MB, the patient is suffering from a mild heart attack. Some other non-invasive tests include echocardiogram, ultrasound of the heart, nuclear imaging, angiogram or X-ray of the coronary arteries.

There are different types of medication that can be given to treat a mild heart attack. The most commonly given medication is nitroglycerin that widens and opens the blood vessels and helps the blood and oxygen reach the heart more comfortably. Some other anti-ischemic drugs like beta blockers or calcium channel blockers are also given as they reduce the risks of chest pain. The patient may also be told to take aspirin once a day as it minimizes inflammation and prevents blood clots from developing. Along with this the doctor may prescribe Plavix, a blood thinning medication.

Knowing and acknowledging the signs of a mild heart attack can save a person from the risks of having a serious one. To prevent heart attacks, one should exercise regularly and follow a healthy diet rich in fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods and vegetables to maintain a balance between both cholesterol and blood pressure levels.