A heart attack is one of the most serious medical emergencies and they can often life-changing or even make its victim leave this life forever. They require immediate medical attention and can seemingly strike from nowhere – happening when blood cannot reach the heart, usually due to a blood clot.
Known medically as myocardial infarctions, where ‘myo’ means muscle, ‘cardial’ refers to the heart, and ‘infarction’ refers to the dᴇαth of cell tissue due to a lack of blood supply, a heart attack is when the heart muscle is damaged because it doesn’t have enough oxygen to function.
Thankfully, your body will display eight warning signs at least a month before a heart attack. Some of these signs are quite common symptoms of other conditions, so don’t worry if you have only one, although all are worth checking.
1. Swollen Feet
If you have congestive heart failure, one or both of your heart’s lower chambers lose their ability to pump blood effectively. As a result, blood can back up in your legs, ankles and feet, causing edema.
2. Fatigue
Fatigue affects 70 per cent of women, and if it is not something you normally suffer with, it can be one of the main symptoms that indicates an impending heart attack.
Whilst men have reported this symptom, it is most likely to affect women, according to Brightside.
