TRNC Residents Warned About Heart Attack Symptoms

A recent study in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), involving 140 patients from the Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital who had experienced heart attacks, found that only half of them recognized the warning signs of a health problem. Medical professionals have now reminded TRNC residents of the key symptoms that could indicate heart issues.

The study, conducted in the hospital's Coronary Care Unit, revealed that half of the patients lacked sufficient knowledge of heart attack symptoms.

The most common symptoms reported by patients during a heart attack were:

• Anxiety and stress – 35.7%

• Increased sweating – 34.3%

• Chest pain – 27.1%

Of those surveyed, 15 patients (10.7%) reached the hospital within the first 20 minutes, 33 patients (23.6%) arrived using their own transportation, and 45 patients (32.1%) were brought in by ambulance.

The study also found that 42.1% of heart attacks occurred between 08:00 and 16:00, while 36.4% occurred between 16:00 and midnight.

Doctors stress that the most common and clear symptom of a heart attack is chest pain, which can be sharp and persistent, lasting for several hours. The pain may feel like pressure or tightness, radiating to different parts of the body. It is most often felt in the left arm, but it can also spread to the right arm, shoulders, back, neck, or jaw. Women may experience pain in the lower chest, abdomen, or upper back.

Another prevalent symptom is excessive sweating. Other warning signs include a rapid or irregular pulse, heart palpitations, coughing, weakness, faintness, shortness of breath, dizziness, numbness in the arms, skin paleness, bruising, and redness. Digestive symptoms like heartburn, nausea, and vomiting can also occur.

People who are at a higher risk for heart attacks include:

• Those with cardiovascular diseases

• Smokers

• People who are overweight

• Those with high cholesterol

• Diabetics

• People with a family history of heart disease

If any typical or unusual symptoms of a heart attack are noticed, it’s crucial to immediately call 112 for emergency help.