Anyone’s life would severely change once they’re diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The case study of Susan Madero is a prime example; where even after her body gave signals to get herself checked, she ignored the signs, and it led to a fatal experience. 

It was Valentine’s day of 2015 when Susan went with her husband to watch a movie. Although she hadn’t eaten anything during the movie, she suddenly started feeling full. Soon, indigestion and the sensation of something large sitting on her chest set in. She also started experiencing shortness of breath and pain in her ribs. 

After the movie ended, she told her husband to take her to the hospital, but her EKG revealed nothing. Chalking it up to just some indigestion, Susan decided to go home. 

When she had the same experience at night, she decided to go through another EKG, which that time revealed a 100% artery blockage. 

Even though Susan was 62, she was a very healthy woman and used to work out every other day. When her doctor saw her reports, the only thing that came out of his mouth was awe for the woman who had survived the attack. 

When her doctor asked if she had been experiencing any chest pain before the actual event, she confessed that she had been experiencing shortness of breath for a long time. 

The above case shows how varied the signs of a heart attack can be and how important it is never to ignore them. But are there any indications of heart attack that occur way before and act as warning signs? 

The answer to that is yes! 

According to Dr. Zi-Jian Xu, M.D., Ph.D., FACC, Sutter Roseville Medical Center, just as some people might not have any symptoms of heart attacks, some can experience heart attack symptoms months before a heart attack occurs. 

Therefore it’s extremely important for people to know the early signs of heart attack so they can get themselves checked as soon as possible. 

6 Signs of Heart Attack that You Might Experience a Month Before

Chest discomfort

Heart attacks occur when the coronary artery gets blocked, causing an obstruction to the flow of oxygen to the heart. This condition can lead to an increase in discomfort in one’s chest for a significant period of time. 

Studies have noted that about 2 out of every 3 heart attack victims experience chest discomfort weeks before the heart attack occurs, making it the most common symptom. 

In addition, it is also important to see the signs of angina. Angina is the temporary chest pain that people might experience while doing physical activity. Any change in the patterns of angina should be taken very seriously. 

Nausea, indigestion, heartburn, stomach pain

These symptoms correlate more with silent heart attacks. People who have experienced fatal heart attacks had admitted to experiencing nausea, indigestion, heartburn, and stomach aches long before the heart attacks occurred, but they chalked it up to some other ailments. 

It is very important to get yourself checked out if these signs persist for a long time. 

Lightheadedness and breathlessness

Lightheadedness and breathlessness are found to be very prevalent symptoms of female myocardial infarction. 

There might be other reasons for lightheadedness and breathlessness, but if any chest discomfort accompanies these, it’s important to see the doctor immediately. 

Throat, jaw, or arm pain

Normally, throat or jaw pain isn’t a condition that is connected to heart ailments. But if the pain in your chest spreads to your throat or jaw, it’s suggested to visit the doctor as soon as possible. 

In addition, arm pain has been directly associated with heart attacks. Arm pain could mean pain that occurs first in your chest and then spreads to your arm, or it just is severe arm pain; both cases demand you to be on high alert. 

Fatigue

Suppose you suddenly feel exhausted or winded after performing an activity you had no trouble performing earlier, such as climbing stairs or carrying goods from the car; this could be a sign of an upcoming heart attack.

It is crucial to pay attention to these kinds of substantial changes than to any minor discomfort you may be experiencing.

Heart disease, especially in women, might manifest as extreme fatigue or unexplained weakness that lasts for days.

Sweating

Unexpectedly, breaking out in cold sweat could indicate an upcoming heart attack. Stress-related sweating occurs in regions such as the armpits, genitals, and hair scalp regions, and you should visit a doctor immediately if this occurs, along with other heart attack symptoms.

What Increases Your Heart Disease Risk?

Heart diseases have certain risk factors that people should be wary of. Among them, there are some you can control and others you can’t.

Heart disease risk factors that are beyond your control include:

Your gender

Men and women have many anatomical differences, including your heart. 

Women’s hearts are smaller than men’s and their arteries are narrower. In addition, men are more prone to developing major artery blockage, whereas women are more vulnerable towards small heart arteries diseases, commonly known as microvascular dysfunction. 

Therefore, people should learn the specifics of their genders and know how to improve their cardiovascular health individually. 

Older age

As people age, their body systems get weaker. They become more prone to developing conditions like high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and more, which can directly influence their heart health. 

Along with that, conditions like arthritis result in less physical activity, which again can be a cause for developing heart problems. Therefore, it’s important to regularly have health checkups and take precautionary measures accordingly. 

Family history of heart disease

You are at immediate risk of developing heart disease if any of your close family members have it. One must be aware of their family’s medical history and take precautions accordingly.

Menopause

Before menopause, the estrogen hormone protects the cardiovascular systems in women. Low estrogen levels in women after menopause can increase the risk of heart disease. 

Mostly lifestyle factors are what people can control to regulate their heart health. These consist of the following:

• Smoking
• Worrisome cholesterol levels
• Continually elevated blood pressure
• Inactivity or obesity
• Unmanageable diabetes
• Increased C-reactive protein
• Unmanaged anxiety, depression, and rage
• Unhealthy diet 
• Alcoholism

How Can You Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease?

According to research, heart disease may be avoidable more often than not by making little alterations to one’s lifestyle. 

Your general physical and mental health can benefit from these changes, lowering your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Here are some ways to modify your lifestyle to reduce your risk of developing heart disease:

Eat healthily

Consume a diet reduced in: 

• Sodium
• Saturated fat
• Trans fat
• Cholesterol
• Refined sweets

Additionally, increase your consumption of foods high in antioxidants, vitamins, and other nutrients, as these may reduce your chance of developing heart disease. 

Drink in moderation

Drinking any type of beverage, whether it be energy drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol, can be harmful to your heart health. 

While moderately consuming these is acceptable, excessive consumption can thwart your heart health plans. 

Become physically active

People who engage in moderate levels of physical activity have a lower risk of heart disease than those who do not. Your likelihood of having heart disease can be decreased by having some regular physical activity, be it gardening or walking.

Adults should engage in 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise at least 5 days a week. However, consult your doctor before participating in physical activities. Beneficial physical activities include the following: 

• Jogging
• Brisk walking
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Jumping rope
• Aerobic swimming

Keep a healthy weight

Your risk of heart disease increases if you are obese. Aside from taxing your heart, being overweight also increases your risk of developing other heart disease risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

Give up smoking

The most significant, but avoidable, risk factor is smoking. Smokers are more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack than non-smokers. Quit smoking. Better still, abstain. 

Even if you don’t smoke, frequent contact with secondhand smoke or passive smoking (cigarette smoke from others) increases your risk of developing heart disease.

Maintain healthy cholesterol levels

Unhealthy cholesterol levels raise your risk of heart disease. The appropriate amounts may differ slightly according to age, sex, general health, and family medical history. Find out from your doctor what levels are ideal for you.

Some individuals may experience a reduction in cholesterol with a healthy diet (high in complex carbohydrates and low in cholesterol, saturated/trans fats, and sugars). 

Regular exercise also can raise “good” cholesterol while lowering “bad” cholesterol.

Control blood sugar and high blood pressure

Your cardiovascular health is directly impacted by blood pressure and sugar levels. Your overall health, activities, and other health conditions will be considered while your doctor evaluates your blood pressure readings. 

You can create a strategy with your doctor to help manage your blood pressure through diet, exercise, weight loss, and, if necessary, medication.

Stress management

Heart disease might get worse if stress and anger are not well managed. Some of the lifestyle practices that can help manage stress include:

• Meditation and other relaxation techniques
• Talk therapy in a group environment or with a therapist
• Efficient management of time
• Setting sensible goals and objectives

Making a heart monitoring device part of your lifestyle

Lifestyle changes can significantly improve your cardiovascular health, but having a heart health monitoring tool adds an extra layer of protection to your health. 

Madhavbaug’s Heart Health Meter is one such tool that can progressively help you keep your heart health in check and even help you get personalized health solutions that, when adopted properly, can reduce your chances of developing heart ailments. 

The below sections explain all your need to know about the tool. 

Heart Health Meter: Your Key to Effectively Preventing CVDs

Earlier you read about the various signs of heart attack, the risk factors associated with them, and the solutions you can take to overcome them. 

Now imagine – what if you get a tool that can correctly predict your chances of developing these chronic diseases? It will also tell you what parameters of your health should you be concentrating on, particularly. Won’t that make things easier? 

Heart Health Meter (HHM) is a preventive cardiology tool that helps you with this. Built under the supreme supervision of Dr. Rohit Sane, an expert in the field of preventive cardiology with more than 20 years of experience, HHM helps people diagnose their risks of developing cardiovascular diseases and control the risk factors associated with them.

Dr. Rohit Sane‘s work is a shining example of how old technologies can be combined with cutting-edge techniques to serve people’s needs best.

Heart Health Meter uses cutting-edge meter technology to generate a scorecard that ranges from the “Worst Stage” (high risk) to the “Excellent Stage” of heart health, along with a comprehensive medical report describing the risks (no risk).

HHM makes life easier for customers by alerting them about potential heart problems. Customers who select the Madhavbaug Heart Disease Reversal Program receive home-based, customized prepared meals and exercise regimens based on their HHM Scorecard.

By merging nutritional, ayurvedic, and modern cardiology practices into patients’ everyday lives, Madhavbaug gives their patients prompt, practical recommendations based on these risk assessments and guidance on how to prevent and address heart-related problems in the future.

In addition to the Heart Health Meter, there are also some other preventive cardiology methods presented by Dr. Sane that help people effectively deal with heart problems. 

Reverse diet kit

Another method found to be effective in a study by Dr. Sane involved the reverse diet kit. Reverse diet kit is where people’s usual dietary routines are reversed to improve their heart health. 

Dr. Sane conducted this study on a critical heart patient with coronary artery disease who had previously experienced a heart attack. Afterward, the patient was advised to adhere to the reverse diet kit therapy for 12 weeks.

His weight, heart rate, blood pressure, and other health indicators were periodically checked. The outcomes were positive, and by altering regular food habits, the patient could significantly enhance his quality of life.

Sampurna Hriday Shuddhikaran

Sampurna Hriday Shuddhikaran (SHS) is an Ayurvedic therapy developed by Dr. Rohit Sane that focuses on how a person might reduce their chance of developing heart failure and other cardiovascular disorders.

In addition to Hrid Dhara, SHS also employs the Panchkarma techniques of Snehana, Swedena, and Basti to help people’s hearts. It has been found in the study conducted under the direction of DR. Sane that SHS is linked to exercise tolerance, cardiac improved augment, and ejection fraction increases.

Trust Dr. Rohit Sane to Improve Your Heart Health

All the methods mentioned above show how Dr. Sane can be the best heart doctor for you. 

Be a part of Madhavbaug’s heart disease reversal program, and let the knowledge and hard work of Dr. Rohit Sane help improve your heart health. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

• Do you get a heart attack warning from your body a month in advance?

Heart attacks can happen suddenly. However, many people have warning symptoms and signals hours, days, or even weeks in advance. An early warning sign of angina is persistent chest pressure or pain that doesn’t go away with rest.

Atypical symptoms in women can include back, arm, or neck discomfort that is sudden or acute. Sudden cardiac arrest can occasionally be the initial indication of a heart attack.

• What is the most typical sign that a heart attack is about to happen?

Most heart attacks are characterized by discomfort in the middle of the chest, often lasting longer than a few minutes or disappearing and reappearing. 

It may feel like a painful pressure, squeezing, fullness, or uncomfortable pressure. Discomfort or pain neck and jaw, one or both arms, the back, or the stomach are some commonly known symptoms.

• How long before a heart attack may you have symptoms?

While most heart attacks happen suddenly, people have been reported to experience various signs and symptoms of a heart attack long before it occurs. 

Chest tightness, breathlessness, arm and/or shoulder pain, and weakness is warning signs of an imminent heart attack that might appear hours or weeks before the event.

• Which four factors directly contribute to myocardial infarction?

Four factors directly contribute to myocardial infarction are: 

1. Elevated blood pressure

A significant risk factor for heart disease is high blood pressure. It is a medical disorder that develops when blood vessels, including arteries, are under too much pressure.

High blood pressure is frequently called a “silent killer” because it is completely asymptomatic. If the excessive pressure is not regulated, it could harm your kidneys, brain, heart, and other vital organs.

2. Obesity

Obesity is associated with greater levels of “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides and lower levels of “good” cholesterol. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease can all be caused by obesity.

3. Unhealthy blood cholesterol

The waxy, fat-like substance known as cholesterol, created by the liver or found in some foods, can build up in the arterial walls, especially the walls of the heart if you consume more cholesterol than your body can utilize. This causes the arteries to be narrow, which in turn reduces blood flow to the kidneys, heart, and other organs.

4. Diabetes

Your body requires sugar or glucose for energy. Blood sugar levels rise as a result of diabetes. Adults with diabetes are more likely than non-diabetics to die from cardiac disease.

• How long do heart attacks last?

Symptoms of a mild heart attack may only last for between two and five minutes before going away with rest. A full myocardial infarction duration with total blockage is significantly longer, occasionally exceeding 20 minutes.

• How does Madhavbaug help people effectively manage their heart diseases?

As explained before, Madhavbaug uses preventive cardiology as a means to cure heart diseases. In addition, these techniques also help people strategize their plans to avoid developing heart diseases in the future. 

Heart Health Meter indicates people’s risks of developing heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, which can be reversed over time through effective management. 

• How does Madhavbaug help people reverse their Type 2 diabetes? 

Madhavbaug issues care plans for individuals that are catered to every patient according to their health scores through HHM. The patients are then given tutorials on how to proceed with their lifestyle and manage their disease. 

Five main pillars in the Type 2 diabetes care plan by Madhavbaug include: 

• Limiting the use of conventional therapy to lower your dependence on allopathic medications 
• Controlling portions in your diet and only including low calorie, low carb, nutritious food in it
• A proper physical exercise regime
• Regularly monitoring your blood sugar
• Healing Panchakarma with Snehana, Swedana, and Basti therapies

• Heart diseases are chronic illnesses that require immediate attention and Ayurveda techniques take time to show effect. Why should people opt for them, then?

Yes, heart diseases are chronic therapies that demand immediate measures, but Madhavbaug’s techniques take things a step further. 

Heart Health Meter works to predict your chances of developing any cardiovascular problems in the future and provides you with proper regimes to avoid them. 

Madhavbaug doesn’t just won’t cure your heart diseases but stop them from happening in the first place through incorporating preventive cardiology techniques with Ayurveda that work to prevent and cure the root cause of cardiovascular diseases. 

• What is the authenticity of Madhavbaug’s treatment procedures? 

Madhavbaug has been built under the supreme guidance of Dr. Rohit Sane. Over the years, Dr. Sane has worked on many kinds of research, proving how preventive cardiology techniques can be effectively adopted to help patients. 

Their authenticity has been proved by his many research papers that have been published in multiple reputed journals.