Dr. Ruth Kam is a reputed cardiologist in Singapore at Ruth Kam Heart and Arrhythmia Clinic where she treats heart patients carefully. Here, she tells about 8 signs that could be having a heart attack. Visit our website at http://www.arrhythmia.com.sg

1. 8 SIGNS THAT YOU COULD BE HAVING A HEART ATTACK
Mayocardial infarction, or heart attack, occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart is
blocked for a long enough time that part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies. It is vital
for someone who is suffering froma heart attack to seek ielp immediately as a heart attack
can be life threatening.
Watch out for these eight signs of a heart attack:
1. Central chest pain
Common descriptions of the pain offered by patients include “severe crushing", “like a
stone pushing against the chest, “burning”, “pulling”, “choking" or “strangling". More
uncommon descriptions include “pricking", “piercing" and ‘cutting".
2. Difficultyin breathing
This usually accompanies chest pain, but it could occur on its own. A heart attack
causes the lungs to become congested and in its most severe form, acute pulmonary
edema, there could be frothing at the mouth and the patient literally “chokes” to death on
his own secretions. A less severe form of this symptoms could occur while one is at rest or
doing very minimal activites.
3. Loss of consciousness (sudden collapse)
This is usually caused by an arrhythmia — ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation
or asystole. To put it simply, either the heart “seizes" or “stops". Ventricular fibrillation or
tachycardia is the cause of sudden cardiac death and could occur during exercise or even
during sleep. This is the most common reason why professional athletes collapse during
sports activities and also why people are found dead while sleeping. During a heart attack,
the heart could also stop for a few seconds or slow down drastically enough to cause
dizziness and loss of consciousness. In these cases, consciousness is regained when the
heart starts beating again.
4. Unexplained nausea or vomiting
This is a less common manifestation of a heart attack, which is mediated by the vagus
nerves. This could occur alone, or with any of the other symptoms.
5. Feeling of indigestion
The heart is supplied by the same nerves which supply the digestive system. Thus,
some patients experience symtoms that mimic gastric or intestinal complaints.
6. Heart palpitations
This could be caused by arrythmia or simply the sensation or the heart pumping more
forceruliy than usual.

2. 7. Pain in the jaw, throat, left shoulder. inner part of the left arm or central upper
abdomen below the ribcage
This is known as “referred pain" as pain from the heart is referred to areas that are
supplied by nerves at the same spinal level, in this case, by the first thoracic nerve, or by
the same autonomic nerves.
8. Cold sweat
Sweating profusely in the absence or reyer and in association with any ofthe other
above symptoms could suggest that you are having a heart attack. it is an autonomic
response to the stress associated with the heart attack.
If you suspect that you may be having a heart attack, call for help, or get someone to dial
the emergency services number or drive you to the nearest hospital. (do not drive there on
your own). If you are already seeing a cardiologist regularly, call and let him/her know that
you are having these symptoms and that you are heading to the hospital. However, if the
symptoms are very mild, consult a cardiologist as soon as possible to get some tests
done. Remember that you should not ignore the symptoms of a heart attack nor self
medicate without having consulted a doctor previously for the symptoms. In the case of
heart matters, “Time is Muscle"!
Dr. Ruth Kam | Cardiologist
MBBS (Singapore), MRCP (Int Med) (UK),
M Med (Int Med) (Singapore), FAMS (Cardiology),
FRCP (Edin)
Ruth Kam Heart and Arrhythmia Clinic
Address: 290 Orchard Road, #14-10 Paragon, Singapore, 238859
Tel: +65 6333 6866
Fax: +65 6333 6266
24 Hours Answering Service: +65 6535 8833
We are open: Mon- Fri--- 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
Sat--- 8:30 am to 1:00 pm
Email: rk@arrhythmia.com.sg
Website: http://www.arrhythmia.com.sg/