NEWS & INSIGHTS
The Risks and Dangers of Silent Heart Attacks

Most people think of heart attacks as painful and dramatic events. While this is often true, the reality is that, as recent studies have shown, 22% to 60% of heart attacks are silent. That means that a frightening number of people are continuing with their lives, completely unaware that they have suffered heart attacks. These attacks are referred to as silent ischemia, and while they show none of the common symptoms, they are heart attacks nonetheless. They can only be detected with the use of cardiac diagnostics.
What is a Silent Heart Attack (Silent Ischemia)?
Silent heart attacks either have no symptoms at all or none that would normally be associated with heart attacks. However, they are still myocardial infarctions and have the same long-term results as those with obvious symptoms. A silent ischemia will do as much harm as any other heart attack, but because you may not even realize you have a heart attack, you are less likely to seek treatment, which means that your heart condition could be left to get worse.
Symptoms of a Silent Heart Attack
Heart attacks are usually identified by severe chest pains, shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea and cold sweats. However, in the event of a silent heart attack, while you may experience some symptoms, they are usually ones you would never associate with heart attacks. They could include flu-like symptoms, stiff muscles (especially in your chest or upper back), unexplained body pain, fatigue or signs of indigestion.
Silent Ischemia Causes
Silent ischemia is no different from any other myocardial infarction as far as underlying causes are concerned. All heart attacks are the result of coronary artery disease. This happens when plaque builds up in your arteries and restricts blood flow. As the heart muscle is progressively starved of oxygen-rich blood, it dies, and cardiovascular health and functioning deteriorate. It is not possible to say why some heart attacks are silent and others aren’t. The condition is essentially the same in all cases; it is just a question of the severity of the symptoms.
What are the Risk Factors for Silent Ischemia?
People are most at risk of silent ischemia if they have any of the following:
- High body-mass index, i.e. they are overweight
- Poor exercise or physical activity routines
- High blood pressure
- Diets with high levels of salt, fatty foods and cholesterol
- Chronic stress
- A family history of heart disease
Heart diseases and their underlying conditions – especially in the absence of obvious symptoms – require sophisticated cardiac diagnostic equipment and techniques. WELL Health Diagnostic Centres are equipped to provide all types of cardiac tests and monitoring. If you are experiencing heart trouble, and have a referral from your healthcare practitioner, contact us to make an appointment at one of our diagnostic centres near you.