Knowing the symptoms of a heart attack can help save a life, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, but unfortunately many people miss these signs.
Not everyone experiences a heart attack in the same way. In fact, about 45 per cent of heart attacks are “silent”, meaning they display little to no symptoms. For this reason, it is recommended that people undergo regular health and heart screenings to help detect problems early and lead to more effective treatment and positive outcomes.
Dr Mahmoud Traina, staff physician at the Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, advises people to start health and heart screenings at the age of 20, with the types of checkups and frequency varying depending on their age, general health, family history and lifestyle choices. Patients with a history of heart disease, stroke or heart attack require more regular screenings, he cautions.
