Heart attacks do not always begin with severe chest pain. Symptoms can be mild or mistaken for indigestion, reflux or stress, causing people to delay seeking medical help.
As World Heart Day approaches, cardiologists at Medcare Hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah are urging people to recognise warning signs, understand their risk factors and seek urgent medical attention when symptoms appear.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the world’s leading cause of death and accounts for around 40% of deaths in the UAE. Doctors are also seeing serious heart disease in younger patients, with obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol among the major risk factors.
The Gulf RACE study found that nearly one in three patients with severe STEMI heart attacks in the Middle East reached hospital more than 12 hours after their symptoms began. The study included 3,197 patients across 65 centres in six Arab countries.
Symptoms can be easy to miss
Dr. Jan Niclas Strickling, Specialist Interventional Cardiologist at Medcare Hospital Al Safa, said early heart attack symptoms can be difficult to recognise.
“Heart attack symptoms, particularly in the early stages, can be subtle and are very often mistaken for indigestion or reflux.”
He recalled the case of Godfrey, a 44-year-old UAE resident who experienced chest discomfort for several days. He initially believed it was indigestion or stress. Although an ECG and troponin test at a clinic were normal, he later developed severe chest pain and went to Medcare Hospital Al Safa.
Doctors found a 99% blockage in one of his main heart arteries. While in the emergency department, Godfrey suffered a cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation. Doctors performed CPR and used two defibrillator shocks before urgently opening the blocked artery.
Godfrey said he now realises he should have sought emergency care when his symptoms first began rather than waiting.
Dr. Strickling said the case highlights the importance of acting quickly when warning signs appear.
Other health conditions can make treatment more difficult
Dr. Mohammed Albialy Sulieman, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Medcare Hospital Sharjah, described the case of a 70-year-old man with severe peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and COPD.
The patient arrived with breathing difficulties and later suffered cardiac arrest. Doctors performed CPR and restored his heartbeat. However, his severe vascular disease meant the usual blood vessels used to reach the heart were blocked, making the emergency procedure more challenging.
Doctors were able to clear the blockage, and the patient recovered, with his heart function improving during follow-up.
Cardiac arrest can happen even after diagnosis
Dr. Rupesh Singh, Specialist Cardiologist at Medcare Hospital Sharjah, recalled a 45-year-old patient who developed sudden severe upper abdominal pain and heavy sweating. A nearby clinic diagnosed him with an acute inferior STEMI.
Despite the diagnosis, the patient became unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest while being driven to hospital. His heart stopped twice, including once just before his procedure.
Doctors found a blood clot completely blocking a major heart artery. They successfully removed the clot and restored blood flow. After two days in intensive care, the patient was discharged and later returned to work.
The cardiologists stressed that awareness, prevention and a healthy lifestyle are important in reducing heart disease risk. They also urged people not to dismiss unusual or persistent symptoms and to seek emergency medical care when they suspect a heart attack.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
