A simple chest pain could be a tip of the iceberg

Heart failure is the leading cause of death in our country, affecting millions of lives. Most of the deaths from heart failure can be prevented if proper precautions are taken. Although many ignore mild chest pains and abdominal pains, thinking it to be gas trouble, this could actually be a heart problem or even a heart attack, says a city-based doctor.

Pankaj Patel, 52, had no symptoms of heart failure when he went for a regular health check-up sponsored by his employer. However, the tests revealed serious heart issues and a heart attack that had gone undetected in the past. “He denied having breathlessness or chest pains on exertion (which are the key symptoms of heart failure), but I learnt that he hardly exerted himself and he had a sedentary desk job. He happened to be a smoker but without any other habits or diseases. His ECG showed some suspicious abnormalities,” said Dr Sameer Dani, cardiologist.

But after his echocardiography (ECG) was done, it was discovered that he had asymptomatic heart failure with reduced pumping capacity. “His ejection fraction (EF) was 36%, much below the normal range of 55%. EF refers to the amount of blood being pumped out of the heart each time the heart muscle contracts. Reduced EF leads to heart failure, a chronic condition where the heart muscle responsible for the pumping action weakens over time,” the doctor said.

Later on, a coronary angiography was carried out and it showed that he had suffered heart attack (myocardial infarction) in the past. Patel remembered that a year ago, he had suffered some chest and abdominal discomfort one night, which lasted for a couple of hours. He said he had dismissed the pain and ignored the incident thinking it was gas trouble.

“I have prescribed him preventive and therapeutic medications for heart failure, along with some strict lifestyle modifications,” said the expert. DR Jay Shah, interventional cardiologist at HCG Hospital, said that any chest pain should be investigated. Also, abdominal fullness and gastric issues are ultimately cardiac pain.

HEART ATTACK CAN BE “SILENT”

Heart failure can occur without significant symptoms for some people, especially in its early stages. As it is a progressive disease with a very high mortality rate, chances of reduced hospitalisation and prolonged life are higher if the disease is diagnosed at an early stage.
Regular health check-ups are important after a certain age, especially in people with high-risk behaviour, such as those who smoke and lead sedentary lifestyles, which can lead to several heart diseases, including heart failure.

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