Infarction symptoms in men, women, young and old

Symptoms of acute myocardial infarction appear when a block or blockage of a blood vessel in the heart occurs due to the appearance of fat or clot plaques, preventing the passage and causing the death of the heart cells.

Infarction can happen in anyone, regardless of age and gender, however it happens more often in people over 45, who smoke, are overweight, have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol, for example.

Main symptoms of heart attack

The main symptoms that indicate this problem include:

1. Pain in the left side of the chest, in the form of tightness, pinprick or weight, which can radiate to the neck, armpit, back, left arm or even, right arm; Numbness or tingling in the left arm; Stomach pain, unrelated to food; Back pain; Malaise; Sickness and dizziness; Paleness and cold sweat; Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing; Dry cough; Difficulty sleeping.

These symptoms usually appear or intensify with physical exertion, during stress or after eating, as these are periods when the heart tries harder and can feel the effects of lack of circulation more.

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Although the symptoms mentioned are the main and most common in any person, the infarction can also arise with some particular characteristics in some groups. Some examples of this are:

1. Symptoms of heart attack in women

Women may experience symptoms that vary slightly from men, as they may be milder, such as chest discomfort, feeling unwell, irregular heartbeat or heaviness in one arm. As these symptoms are not specific, this can be confused with other situations such as poor digestion or indisposition, for example, and this can delay the diagnosis.

Women have a lower risk of heart attack than men, however this risk increases a lot after menopause, since during this period estrogen levels decrease, which is a hormone associated with the heart, as it stimulates the dilation of vessels and facilitates blood flow. Therefore, whenever symptoms are persistent and, especially, if they worsen after exertion, stress or eating, it is very important to seek the emergency room for a medical evaluation. Check out more details about the symptoms of heart attack in women.

2. Infarction symptoms in young people

Infarction symptoms in young people are not very different from the main symptoms, with chest pain or tightness, tingling in the arm, nausea, cold sweat, pallor and dizziness prevailing. The particularity lies in the fact that young people are more likely to have a massive heart attack, one that comes on suddenly and that can often cause the victim's death before it can be seen by the doctor. This happens because, unlike the elderly, young people do not yet have time to develop the so-called collateral circulation, responsible for irrigating the heart together with the coronary arteries, reducing the impact of the lack of circulation in the heart.

Infarction tends to appear in men over 40 and women over 50, because risks such as excess cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes cause damage to blood vessels, silently, over many years, and only in this more advanced age group is that the consequences like heart attack and stroke.

However, some people under the age of 40 may experience a heart attack, and this is usually due to genetic changes, which cause metabolic changes in the bloodstream. This risk becomes increased when the young person leads an unhealthy life, with obesity, smoking, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages and lack of physical activities. Understand more about how to identify and treat a massive heart attack.

3. Infarction symptoms in the elderly

The elderly may have a better chance of having a silent infarction, because over the years the circulation can develop blood vessels that make the collateral circulation, helping the coronaries to take blood to the heart. Thus, the symptoms may be milder and persist for many days, such as excessive sweating, shortness of breath, pallor, changes in heartbeat or chest discomfort, for example.

However, this is not a rule, and there may be mild to severe pain, accompanied by a feeling of heaviness or tightness in the chest. Pain can also appear in the upper abdomen, which can be mistaken for gastritis or reflux.

The elderly is at greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke, because the body has changes in blood circulation, in the conduction of beats and in the capacity of the heart, making it more conducive to developing these complications. However, the risk is reduced if the elderly person has healthy lifestyle habits, such as a diet rich in vegetables and low in carbohydrates and fat, keeping their weight under control and performing physical activities.

When to go to the doctor

When the person has severe pain between the mouth and the navel that lasts more than 20 minutes and has other symptoms that are linked to the infarction, they should look for a hospital or call 192 to call SAMU, especially in cases of history of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol.

In addition, to help relieve pain and improve circulation, people who have never had a heart attack can take 2 aspirin tablets while waiting for the ambulance.

If you are present in a case of infarction with loss of consciousness, ideally, a cardiac massage should be performed while waiting for the ambulance to arrive, as it increases the person's chances of survival. See how to do cardiac massage by watching this video:

See more tips in First aid in acute myocardial infarction.