Can a heart attack feel like heartburn?

Yes, heart attack symptoms can sometimes mimic severe heartburn, leading to dangerous delays in seeking medical help.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack?

Symptoms can include chest pain or discomfort, pain radiating to the arm or neck, shortness of breath, and nausea.

What is coronary heart disease?

Coronary heart disease is a condition where the heart's arteries narrow, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle.

Home / Health / Fit Man Mistook Heart Attack for Heartburn

Fit Man Mistook Heart Attack for Heartburn

15 Jan

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Summary

Man experienced chest pain for four days, mistaking it for severe heartburn.
Symptoms intensified during a personal training session, travelling down arm and neck.
He was 45 minutes from his heart stopping entirely after emergency surgery.

Fit Man Mistook Heart Attack for Heartburn

A man who considered himself fit and healthy was shocked to discover his severe chest pain was a sign of a life-threatening heart attack. He initially dismissed the discomfort as intense heartburn, unaware of its true cause. The pain worsened over four days, prompting him to seek medical advice.

During a personal training session, the pain escalated, radiating down his arm and neck. This alarming development led him to call emergency services. An ambulance swiftly transported him to Leeds General Infirmary, where he was rushed into emergency surgery to clear a blocked artery.

Doctors informed him that he had been merely 45 minutes away from his heart stopping completely. Following the surgery, he was diagnosed with mild to moderate coronary heart disease, which requires ongoing management with medication.