What You Should Know About a Silent Heart Attack

Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher, wrote that “Silence is a source of great strength.” Possibly sound advice in some situations. But for people who’ve had a silent heart attack, silence is far from a virtue. In fact, according to a report from the University of California, up to one half of heart attacks are totally silent! So, how dangerous are these myocardial infarctions, and what is the treatment? The first indication of an attack may be when an electrocardiogram (ECG) is done for another medical reason and shows a damaged heart. But it may remain undiscovered until an autopsy revels scarring in the heart’s muscle. Why does the silent heart attack fail to cause symptoms? Some people have a higher threshold of pain than others. Or a higher blood level of endorphins helps kill pain. Or a smaller coronary artery is involved, causing less damage. And diabetes can cause degeneration of nerves.