{"id":14491,"date":"2025-03-20T00:07:47","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T04:07:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/?p=14491"},"modified":"2025-03-20T00:07:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T04:07:47","slug":"i-dismissed-the-warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack-at-46","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/2025\/03\/20\/i-dismissed-the-warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack-at-46\/","title":{"rendered":"I Dismissed the Warning Signs of a Heart Attack at 46"},"content":{"rendered":"

Heart Attack at 46: The Warning Signs I Dismissed<\/h1>\n

Introduction to a Life-Changing Event<\/h2>\n

One of the reasons it can be difficult to spot a heart attack is because, while some of the most common symptoms are well known, other early signs can vary and be easy to dismiss. TikToker Nikki (@martyandnikki) was generally healthy when she had a heart attack at only 46. In a candid video, she shared some of the symptoms that she wrote off as things like indigestion and perimenopause.<\/p>\n

The Initial Symptoms<\/h2>\n

\u201cTwo days ago I had a heart attack,\u201d she said. \u201cI have no previous medical conditions. I have never taken a COVID vaccine \u2026 I had some warnings approximately a week before.\u201d It all began when she woke up one morning to find that her left shoulder was feeling a little sore \u2014 almost like she\u2019d been \u201csleeping on it wrong\u201d \u2014 which she \u201cchalked up to possibly being a \u2018frozen shoulder\u2019 from perimenopause.\u201d
\nTikToker user @martyandnikki had a heart attack at 46. TikTok \/ @martyandnikki<\/span><\/p>\n

Progression of Symptoms<\/h2>\n

The day before her heart attack \u2014 shoulder still sore \u2014 she awoke feeling like she was going to vomit, but the nausea passed only 15 minutes later, so she didn\u2019t dwell on it. The day of her heart attack, the same symptoms persisted, but now she also felt a tightness in her chest \u2014 \u201clike someone was squeezing it,\u201d and the pain in her shoulder began to travel down her arm. <\/p>\n

Seeking Medical Attention<\/h2>\n

She took a hot shower \u2014 which can help with chest pain by relaxing your muscles and increasing blood flow to the area \u2014 and immediately felt better. Nikki happened to have a doctor\u2019s appointment that morning for unrelated reasons, so she explained her symptoms to him fully expecting to possibly need to go to the ER \u2014 and he deemed it unnecessary. While he did tell her to go to the ER if the symptoms recurred, \u201che didn\u2019t feel like I should go to the emergency room right then because I wasn\u2019t experiencing any symptoms and they probably weren\u2019t going to be able to see what was going on,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The Turning Point<\/h2>\n

Shortly after lunch, the symptoms returned \u2014 and they were worse. \u201cThe arm pain was radiating all the way down, my chest felt like it was being squeezed as tight as you could squeeze it [and] I started to feel sick again,\u201d she said. Some of the most common and well known symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain and pain in the left shoulder that travels down your arm. Getty Images\/iStockphoto<\/span><\/p>\n

Emergency Intervention<\/h2>\n

Nikki got into her car to drive to the hospital, which is when she also began to experience \u201cextreme sweating,\u201d and the pain in her left arm felt \u201cnumbing.\u201d Thankfully, once she was in the ER, she was seen almost immediately by a nurse \u2014 whom she credits with saving her life. He confirmed she was having a heart attack and rushed her to the procedure that put her on the mend.<\/p>\n

Public Reaction and Awareness<\/h2>\n

Her video received over 400,000 likes, with many commenters thanking her for sharing her story while also expressing shock that the doctor didn\u2019t immediately do an EKG. Some noted that it seemed doctors were often too quick to dismiss a heart attack as anxiety \u2014 especially when the patient is a woman. Others pointed out that some of the symptoms really can be easy to overlook, with one user writing, \u201cI don\u2019t think people understand how NORMAL you can look & act while having a heart attack. My husband looked so normal when we went to the ER I was doubtful and was an experienced RN.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atypical Signs of a Heart Attack<\/h2>\n

Some of the most common and well-known symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain and pain in the left shoulder that travels down your arm \u2014 but there are other, atypical signs. <\/p>\n

\nSigns, symptoms \u2014 sent. <\/h3>\n

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Expert Insights<\/h2>\n

Dr. Guruprasad Srinivas, director of the cardiac rehab at Northwell\u2019s Staten Island University Hospital, previously told The Post that people with diabetes and women were especially prone to some less-common symptoms. According to Srinivas, those symptoms can include a toothache, stomach pain and nausea, fatigue, profuse sweating and \u2014 most worryingly \u2014 nothing at all. \u201cIn many cases, patients will not have any symptoms at all but will present with a silent heart attack,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Prevention and Lifestyle Changes<\/h2>\n

Srinivas noted that making healthy lifestyle choices \u2014 such as exercising, not smoking and avoiding sugar \u2014 \u201ccan go a long way in helping prevent the development of heart disease, as can periodic cardiovascular risk assessments with health care professionals.\u201d While fewer older people are having heart attacks, they have been on the rise for women between 35 and 54.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Nikki\u2019s story serves as a stark reminder of the importance of being vigilant about our health and not dismissing symptoms that could be indicative of a serious issue like a heart attack. By sharing her experience, she hopes to raise awareness about the varied symptoms of heart attacks and the need for prompt medical attention when these symptoms occur.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n