Heart attack symptoms in runners: Beware, these could be silent signs of cardiac arrest

Heart attack symptoms in runners: Jumping into a new jogging routine can be physically taxing especially when you’re a rookie. If you haven’t had much training in the sport, it could be that you’re working out at a rate or intensity that your body isn’t accustomed to yet. Cardiac arrest can be somewhat difficult to define, explains Oldemeyer, but sudden cardiac arrest occurs when your heart unexpectedly has an abnormal rhythm (arrhythmia) and stops pumping blood to vital organs such as the brain and lungs.

Exercise itself causes palpitation, sweating and shortness of breath initially in most people, including trained women. However, when these symptoms are more or disproportionate or occur at a lower level of exercise, they should alarm you

Signs of cardiac arrest in runners

Unexpected shortness of breath during exercise
Chest tightness
Pressure, pain, or discomfort especially if it occurs during exercise or effort
Loss of consciousness, particularly during exercise
Severe and unexpected heart palpitations, or an unpleasant sensation of rapid heart beating when you do not expect it to be beating rapidly or so fast
Severe or sudden onset temporary dizziness, lightheadedness, or near fainting

Tips to prevent heart attack

A heart attack may surprise you like an unwanted guest, but there are tips to prevent it. Here’s what you can do:

Know your risk factors
Manage health environments such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol
Maintain healthy weight
Make heart-healthy food choices
If you smoke, quit

There are many determinants of good heart health, the primary among which are a well-balanced diet and sufficient physical exercise. However, in today’s competitive world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle and eating pattern. This has put us at a greater risk of heart ailments and infact, heart attacks are becoming more and more common among the young and old alike.

In a nutshell, a heart attack happens when your heart doesn’t get enough oxygen. This happens when the flow of oxygen-carrying blood into your heart muscle itself is affected. Simply speaking, a blockage in your cardiac arteries that hinders the blood flow into your heart muscle can lead to a heart attack.

(Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice. Please consult a doctor before starting any regime or medical advice.)