Doctors are warning young people to watch out for signs of a heart attack after “alarming” data showed the average age of victims is getting younger.
The number of Americans ages 18 to 44 who suffered a heart attack increased by two-thirds in the past four years, many of whom led apparently healthy lifestyles.
Some heart attacks occur suddenly, and the most common symptoms include sudden pain, heaviness, or a tight feeling in the chest.
But cardiologists warn that symptoms can begin hours, days or weeks before the actual heart attack, and that some of the signs could be ruled out by other, less serious problems.
Dr. Deepak Bhatt, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai in New York, told DailyMail.com that waking up sweating more than usual could be a warning sign.
Raquel Hutt, 24, 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 suffered cardiac arrest at age 21 while cheerleading at the University of Houston. He is now educating others about cardiac arrest.
Data shows that about 0.3 percent of Americans ages 18 to 44 suffered a heart attack in 2019, but last year that number rose to 0.5 percent, or one in 200.
While it may still seem 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 years old.
Doctors have blamed the change on a combination of obesity, rampant drug use, sedentary lifestyles and poor diets.
Dr. Virginia Colliver, cardiologist at Johns Hopkins Community Physicians-Heart Care, wrote: ‘Research does not provide information about why the increase in heart attacks is happening to younger people.
“I suspect it has to do with more people having 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, and lack of exercise and excessive alcohol consumption may also be risk factors.
Dr. Colliver added that birth control pills and other hormonal contraceptives can increase a person’s risk of developing a blood clot in the heart or legs and the medications can also raise 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 types of contraception might be more suitable for 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 beforehand is sweating and feeling short 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 began two weeks before the attack occurred, he said.
Data shows that cases of heart attacks are increasing, Dr. Bhatt said, but doctors still disagree about what could be causing the increase.
Dr Bhatt told DailyMail.com: ‘Among people who suffer a heart attack, a proportion (about half) will have symptoms a week or two beforehand.
‘The most common sign before a heart attack would be chest discomfort or some type of chest pain, which the patient usually relates to low levels of physical exertion or a pulled muscle.
“But also on the list are symptoms such as shortness of breath unexpectedly or with low 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, leading to 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 could be a warning sign of an impending heart attack.
He said: ‘I have had a handful of patients referred to me from dental surgeries when they were actually suffering from symptoms of a heart attack.
“Most of the time, jaw pain is a cavity, but in some cases it can certainly be a sign that the patient is at risk for a heart attack.”
He also referred to his study 2022which 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 from one part of the body is felt in another area.
This happens with the heart because it shares nerves with areas of the upper body, including the jaw, neck, and shoulders.
This means that when the heart sends pain signals, they may be felt in other areas such as the jaw.
Among the young people who suffered this warning sign was the 24-year-old young man. Rachel Hutt from New York, who said he felt severe stabbing pain in his left arm while going to the bathroom, and described it as the “worst pain of my life,” before his attack occurred.
Other warning signs that may appear 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 occurring.
Several doctors have created clips warning about the hidden symptoms of TikTok, including the above from Maryland-based Dr. Kunal Sood.
About 805,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year, of which 375,000 are fatal.
People aged 65 and older are most likely to suffer from these attacks, which are often linked to obesity, diabetes and smoking.
Attacks are usually caused by small blood clots that lodge in an artery and disrupt the supply of oxygen and nutrients to a part of the heart.
During a heart attack, timely treatment is essential to avoid 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 spoke in response to a video posted by chiropractor and prominent YouTube health expert Sten Ekberg, who also said that sweating without exercise could be a warning sign that someone may suffer a life-threatening event.
