Are the symptoms of a heart attack different in young people than in the elderly?
I am 20 years old my left hand is often numb and my chest hurts, can these be symptoms of a heart disease? ~ Jurek
Heart attacks in young people occur sporadically – in special situations, e.g. after some drugs, with an extremely high concentration of cholesterol in the so-called Familial hypercholesterolaemia, in the case of congenital abnormalities or a history of coronary arteritis.
Symptoms of a heart attack in young people are generally similar to those in the elderly, but the elderly may have an asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic heart attack. The ailments you give may be caused by other heart diseases, some of which occur in younger people (e.g. hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), may be caused by non-cardiac causes, e.g. changes in the osteoarticular system (intensive training in the gym) or psychogenic.
Please visit your family doctor or internist who, based on a detailed history, medical examination and basic additional tests (blood tests, ECG, chest X-ray), determines the cause of your ailments. If necessary, you will be referred to a cardiologist who may decide on the need for other additional tests, such as cardiac echocardiography and exercise testing.
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