At what age are silent heart attacks particularly common? | Silent heart attack

At what age are silent heart attacks particularly common?

Silent heart attacks occur mainly at a higher age. The risk to suffer a heart attack begins to rise with men approximately starting from the 40th year of life, with women the risk is strengthened starting from the 50th year of life increased. The risk for a silent heart attack is particularly high in the age group of 65 to 75 years.

Especially the silent myocardial infarction is accompanied by diseases that generally increase the risk of heart attack. Diabetes mellitus type 1, for example, is associated with an increased incidence of heart attacks, sometimes even in younger years. For this reason, increased attention should not be paid to the signs of a silent heart attack only after the age of 40 for men and 50 for women.

Silent heart attack in women – What are the differences to men?

Unlike men, women often do not experience the classic symptoms of a silent heart attack. Rather, the particularly unspecific signs become noticeable. A silent heart attack is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Stomach ache or general pain in the upper abdomen are also possible symptoms. While men often notice a strong feeling of pressure or a stabbing in the chest, a silent heart attack in women is more likely to be characterized by shortness of breath. If women feel a twinge, it is usually not in the chest area.Instead, it radiates into the arms or between the shoulder blades into the back. There can also be complaints in the neck and jaw area. Recurrent dizziness, fainting spells and fatigue can also be symptoms of a silent heart attack and are more often found in women without other signs of a silent heart attack.

What is the life expectancy after a silent heart attack?

The damage to the heart during a silent heart attack reduces life expectancy. The reduced capacity of the heart does not only mean a lower physical resilience. It also means that the heart is less able to compensate for many everyday efforts.

Overloading can therefore easily cause further damage to the heart and thus further reduce life expectancy. Furthermore, the risk of another heart attack increases after a silent heart attack. Unfortunately, it is not possible to make concrete statements about life expectancy (in years). These depend on the risk profile of each individual person, as well as on the age at which the silent heart attack occurred.