Symptoms of Impending Cardiac Arrest: Shortness of Breath in Women, Chest Pain in Men

Cardiac arrests are often triggered by abnormal heart rhythms and result in stopped blood flow to vital organs, including the brain.

(HealthDay News) — Maybe sudden cardiac arrest isn’t so sudden after all.

Some 50 percent of people who experienced sudden cardiac arrest had a telltale symptom 24 hours before, and these symptoms differ between men and women, a new study suggests. In women, the most prominent symptom of impending cardiac arrest is shortness of breath, and in men, it is chest pain and pressure.

“Yes, there are warning symptoms associated with cardiac arrest, and these symptoms are gender-specific,” said study author Dr. Sumeet Chugh, chair of cardiac electrophysiology research and medical director of the Heart Rhythm Center. of the department of cardiology at Cedars-Sinai Smidt Heart Institute in Los Angeles.

It has been thought that cardiac arrest occurs without warning, so the vast majority of people who experience it outside of a hospital die within minutes, but this may not be true, and identifying certain warning signs can give people people an opportunity, Chugh said.

The US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute reports that every year up to 450,000 Americans lose their lives due to cardiac arrest (Illustrative image Infobae)

In general, cardiac arrest is caused by heart rhythm abnormalities, and occurs when the heart stops beating. When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other organs. Each year, up to 450,000 Americans die of cardiac arrest, according to the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

When researchers reviewed data from two community studies of people who experienced sudden cardiac arrest, and compared their symptoms to those of people who sought emergency care but did not experience cardiac arrest, they found that 50 percent of people who had a cardiac arrest experienced at least one characteristic symptom the previous day, specifically chest pain in men and shortness of breath in women.

In addition, smaller groups of men and women experienced heart palpitations, seizure activity and flu-like symptoms before suffering cardiac arrest. One study was conducted in Ventura, California, and the other in Portland, Oregon. And both yielded similar results.

But Chugh cautioned that chest pain and shortness of breath can occur for other reasons, and don’t necessarily mean a person is about to go into cardiac arrest. However, when they occur in someone who has hypertension, diabetes, or underlying heart disease, they are more likely to be associated with cardiac arrest. In the future, apps or smartwatches may be able to further specify who is most at risk of sudden cardiac arrest, she said.

Addressing pre-existing symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath could mean the difference between life and death, especially if they occur in people with pre-existing heart disease. Photo: Christin Klose/dpa

“We need to combine other features with warning symptoms to help people understand if they are likely to experience cardiac arrest and need help right away,” Chugh said.

If you experience the unexpected onset of chest pain or shortness of breath, call 911, especially if you have known heart disease.

If you see a person collapse, start CPR immediately, he advised. If CPR is not started within two to three minutes after cardiac arrest, brain injury can occur. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are also more readily available in many public places. They analyze the heart rhythm, and if necessary administer an electric shock to restore an effective rhythm. Immediate CPR or use of an AED was among the reasons Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of NBA player LeBron James and Buffalo Bills football player Damar Hamlin, survived their cardiac arrests.

The new study was published online Aug. 26 in The Lancet Digital Health.

Starting CPR immediately after cardiac arrest is crucial, since a delay of just two to three minutes could have irreparable brain consequences (Illustrative image Infobae)

Heeding the warning signs of cardiac arrest could help save a person’s life, said Dr. Raman Mitra, director of the electrophysiology laboratory at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.

“We think that sudden cardiac arrest occurs in a person who is perfectly fine and then collapses, but maybe there is a way to identify these people earlier, so we can alert those offering help,” said Mitra, who was not involved in the new study. investigation. “If chest pain is new and associated with shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, fainting, sweating, or nausea, seek medical attention.”

More information: The US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about sudden cardiac arrest.

* Hello Doctor and Denise Mann HealthDay Reporters. Article by HealthDay, translated by HolaDoctor.com

FUENTES: Sumeet Chugh, MD, Pauline and Harold Price Chair in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research, medical director, Heart Rhythm Center, department of cardiology, director, division, artificial intelligence in medicine, department, medicine, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles; Raman Mitra, MD, director, electrophysiology laboratory, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, N.Y.; The Lancet Digital Health, Aug 26, 2023, online

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