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sudden heart attack reason
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Cardiac & Vascular Health
Question #17030
3 days ago
23

sudden heart attack reason - #17030

Kiaan

I am really worried about my dad. He used to be completely healthy, no heart disease, and then out of nowhere last week, he just collapsed. I couldn’t believe it; the doctors said he had a sudden heart attack, but they couldn’t quite figure out the sudden heart attack reason. I mean, he wasn’t under stress, didn’t eat any junk lately, and was always active. They did some tests but didn’t find any blockage or anything serious. What could have caused this? We don't have a family history of heart issues either, which makes it even more confusing. I keep wondering if there was something that he missed, like some symptom we should have caught before it was too late. I read about a lot of factors that can lead to a sudden heart attack reason like blood pressure and cholesterol, but his levels have always been normal. Does anyone have insights on what might lead to such an event without any warning? I’m really scared, especially because it feels like a total sudden heart attack reason can be something I should have known or maybe something simple we overlooked. Just looking for any advice or experiences that might help us understand better. Thank you!

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Doctors’ responses

A sudden heart attack in someone who seemed healthy and had normal test results can indeed be perplexing. It’s important to recognize that heart attacks can occur for reasons beyond the typical risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or family history. One possibility to consider is a condition called “coronary artery spasm,” where the coronary arteries can temporarily tighten or spasm, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle even if there’s no significant blockage. Such spasms can be triggered by factors like cold exposure, stress or use of vasoactive substances, such as certain medications or even illicit drugs. Another consideration might involve the heart’s electrical system, like ventricular arrhythmias, which can cause a sudden cardiac arrest. They might occur without pronounced warning signs, especially if there hasn’t been pre-existing cardiac evaluation. Additionally, microvascular ischemia, involving dysfunction in the small blood vessels of the heart, might not show up clearly in standard tests but still cause serious symptoms. Following up with a cardiologist who specializes in arrhythmia or structural issues might be useful to explore these less common avenues. They might suggest more specialized diagnostic testing, like a coronary angiography, to better analyze heart function in real-time. It’s also essential that your dad’s health lifestyle is optimized and re-evaluated even if he seems otherwise healthy, such as maintaining a balanced diet, adequate hydration, and regular check-ups, which include non-invasive cardiac testing. Having a plan in place for immediate emergency response, like knowing CPR and the availability of defibrillators in community spaces, can also be life-saving if such an event were to occur again. While more investigation might be needed to determine the cause specifically, ensuring his ongoing monitoring and proactive heart health management can provide some peace of mind moving forward.

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