Those who have been affected by a heart attack will inevitably have to pay attention to their own health and never underestimate the possible signs of a second acute cardiovascular episode. Chest pain is the most important sign to warn the patient, even if it may be due to other reasons: “The first element to be excluded in case of recurring chest pain is something of cardiac origin. Even if in the first year you are more vulnerable, the threshold of attention must remain high throughout your life,” recalls Doctor Maddalena Lettino from the Cardiovascular Department at Humanitas.
A feeling of malaise, chest pain, cold sweating, difficulty breathing, and arm pain are almost always symptoms associated with myocardial infarction. Following a first event, the recurrence of pain and the onset of these symptoms may be a renewed sign of concern: “In a patient with an acute history of heart disease, there is a certain percentage of the probability of a second heart attack. During the twelve months following the first heart attack, these probabilities, although less than 10%, are still significant,” recalls Dr. Lettino.
Angina pectoris
Chest pain can also take on the traits of stable angina pectoris, “also known as stress angina, due to the narrowing of coronary arteries, which is manifested when a certain threshold of physical activity is exceeded”.
It is the most common and controllable form of pain that can still worry the patient even if we more commonly hear cases of unstable angina, or sudden chest pain associated with slight physical stress: “Angina pectoris exertion may arise in a patient with heart attack but it is even less likely than a recurring heart attack. It may occur if complete revascularization has not been carried out during the treatment of the first heart attack.
Chest pain can also be caused by other conditions, “e. g. gastroesophageal reflux, aortic disease or a pulmonary pathology”, but it should always warn you: It is always better visit the Emergency Room, undergo examinations such as the electrocardiogram or the one for determining cardiac enzymes, and stay in observation a little longer to exclude acute myocardial ischemia,” the specialist concludes.
