Can you have a heart attack and not know it for years?

A silent heart attack is a heart attack that occurs without clear symptoms, or sometimes without any symptoms at all. This causes the heart attack to go unnoticed, often being recognized only days, months or even years following its presentation. As circulation is affected, part of the heart muscle dies.

Can anyone randomly have a heart attack?

Sudden cardiac arrest can happen in people who have no known heart disease. However, a life-threatening arrhythmia usually develops in a person with a preexisting, possibly undiagnosed heart condition. Conditions include: Coronary artery disease.

Do most heart attacks occur suddenly without warning?

Catch the signs early Don’t wait to get help if you experience any of these heart attack warning signs. Some heart attacks are sudden and intense. But most start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort.

How quickly do heart attacks happen?

How long heart attack symptoms occur. Mild heart attack symptoms might only occur for two to five minutes then stop with rest. A full heart attack with complete blockage lasts much longer, sometimes for more than 20 minutes.

Can heart attacks be painless?

A silent heart attack, also called a silent Ischemia, is a heart attack that has either no symptoms, minimal symptoms or unrecognized symptoms. A heart attack is not always as obvious as pain in your chest, shortness of breath and cold sweats.

Can you have a heart attack and not know it?

Here’s a surprising fact: nearly half of people who have a heart attack don’t realize it at the time. These so-called silent heart attacks are only diagnosed after the event, when a recording of the heart’s electrical activity (an electrocardiogram or ECG) or another test reveals evidence of damage to the heart.

What happens if you have a silent heart attack?

The longer your heart doesn’t have blood flow, the more damage that occurs. Because silent heart attacks may go unnoticed, they can cause a significant amount of damage. And without treatment, they can be deadly.

How many people have a heart attack each year?

Nearly 800,000 Americans have a heart attack each year. 3 out of 4 heart attacks are a first heart attack. 1 in 5 heart attacks is silent — you don’t know you’re having one. Know The Signs — And Don’t Ignore Them

What are the first signs of cardiac artery disease?

In some cases, the very first sign of CAD may be sudden death, most often caused by cardiac arrest or fatal arrhythmias. 5 People who have had a silent heart attack may be at greater risk of this if the damage to the heart is significant and has been left untreated. For these individuals, a second heart attack could very well be fatal. 10