Doctors are warning young people to be alert for signs of a heart attack after ‘alarming’ data showed the average age of victims is getting younger.
The number of Americans aged 18 to 44 who had a heart attack has risen by two-thirds in the past four years, many of whom led seemingly healthy lifestyles.
Some heart attacks strike suddenly, with the most common symptoms being sudden pain, heaviness, or tightness in the chest.
But cardiologists warn that symptoms can begin hours, days, or weeks before the actual heart attack, and that some symptoms can be dismissed for other, less serious problems.
Dr. Deepak Bhatt, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai in New York, told DailyMail.com that waking up with more than normal sweating could be a warning sign.
Raquel Hutt, 24 years old and from New York City, shared online that the first warning sign of her heart attack was a stabbing pain in her left arm that she described as the worst pain she had ever experienced.
Chloe Burke went into cardiac arrest at the age of 21 while cheering at the University of Houston. She now informs others about cardiac arrest
Data shows that about 0.3 percent of Americans ages 18 to 44 had a heart attack in 2019, but last year that rose to 0.5 percent, or one in 200.
While that still seems like a relatively low number, it represents a 66 percent increase in cases in just four years, which doctors call “alarming.” It also means that one in five heart attack patients is now under 40.
Doctors have attributed the change to a combination of obesity, rampant drug use, sedentary lifestyle and poor diet.
Dr. Virginia Colliver, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins Community Physicians-Heart Care, wrote: ‘Research provides no insight into why the increase in heart attacks is happening in younger people.
“I suspect it has to do with the fact that more people have risk factors for heart disease at a younger age.”
Risk factors among this group include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking.
Diabetes, a family history of heart disease, an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and excessive alcohol consumption may also be risk factors.
Dr. Colliver added that birth control pills and other hormonal birth control can increase a person’s risk of developing a blood clot in the heart or legs, and that the drugs can also increase blood pressure — all risk factors for heart attack in younger women.
She wrote: ‘So if you have a history of high blood pressure or clotting problems, other forms of contraception may be better suited to you.
“But for most young women, it is safe to take birth control medications.”
A lesser-known symptom of an impending heart attack that can occur days or a week before is sweating and being out of breath, even without exercise.
Rina Devans, a mother from New York City, revealed on TikTok that a warning sign of her heart attack was pain in her neck and shoulders. The symptoms started two weeks before the attack occurred, she said
Data shows that the number of heart attacks is increasing, Dr. Bhatt said, but doctors still disagree on what could be causing the increase.
Dr. Bhatt told DailyMail.com: ‘Of the people who have a heart attack, some – about half – will develop symptoms a week or two earlier.
‘The most common sign before a heart attack is chest discomfort or some type of chest pain, which the patient often associates with low physical exertion or a muscle strain.
‘But also on the list are symptoms such as sudden shortness of breath or with little physical exertion and, in rare cases, sweating without physical exertion.’
However, studies suggest that young women who suffer a heart attack are less likely to experience chest pain, resulting in delays in treatment.
A 2012 study found that 42 percent of young women who had a heart attack had no chest pain.
Dr. Bhatt also said that in some cases, pain in the jaw and neck can be a warning sign of an impending heart attack.
He said: ‘I have had a handful of patients referred to me by dental practices when in reality they are suffering from symptoms of a heart attack.
“Usually the pain in the jaw is a hole, but in some cases it can certainly be a signal that a patient is at risk for a heart attack.”
He also referred to his 2022 studywhich found that up to 48 percent of patients experienced symptoms including pain in the neck, jaw and/or shoulder blades before a heart attack.
Doctors say this is a type of “referred pain,” or when pain is felt from one part of the body in another area.
This happens to the heart because it shares nerves with parts of the upper body, including the jaw, neck and shoulders.
This means that when pain signals are sent through the heart, they may also be felt in other areas, such as the jaw.
Among the young people who suffered from this warning sign were 24-year-olds Rachel Hutt of New York, who said she felt severe pain in her left arm while using the bathroom, describing it as the “worst pain of my life,” before her attack occurred.
Other warning signs that may occur in the days before a heart attack include nausea and vomiting, fatigue, dizziness and indigestion. These can also be warning signs that a heart attack is currently occurring.
Several doctors have made clips warning of TikTok’s hidden symptoms, including the above from Dr. Kunal Sood, based in Maryland
Approximately 805,000 Americans suffer a heart attack every year, 375,000 of which are fatal.
People aged 65 and over are most likely to suffer from the attacks, which are often linked to obesity, diabetes and smoking.
The attacks are often caused by small blood clots that get stuck in an artery and cut off the supply of oxygen and nutrients to part of the heart.
During a heart attack, prompt treatment is essential to prevent serious organ damage and death.
Patients may be given medications such as blood thinners to break up clots and morphine to reduce pain.
In some cases, surgery may also be performed to reopen clogged arteries and restore blood flow to critical areas.
He was speaking in response to a video posted by chiropractor and top YouTube health expert Sten Ekberg, who also said sweating without exertion could be a warning sign that someone may be suffering from the life-threatening event.