Chest pain, jaw pain, arm pain, shortness of breath, and sweatiness (diaphoresis) while at rest are all common symptoms of a heart attack.

Women and people with diabetes may not experience these symptoms, but rather nausea, fatigue, or generally feeling unwell.

Absence or presence of these symptoms does not definitively diagnose or exclude the diagnosis of a heart attack. If you have any concerns that you may be having a heart attack, you should seek medical attention.

1. Eat a healthy diet: Eating a healthy diet that is low in saturated and trans fats, salt, and added sugars can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Try to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats like olive oil and nuts.
2. Exercise regularly: Regular physical activity can help lower your blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and maintain a healthy weight, all of which can help prevent heart attacks. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
3. Manage stress: Chronic stress can increase your risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Try to find ways to manage your stress, such as practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga.
4. Quit smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease and heart attacks. Quitting smoking can help improve your heart health and reduce your risk of heart attack.
5. Get regular check-ups: Regular check-ups with your doctor can help identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Your doctor can also help you develop a plan to manage these conditions and reduce your risk of heart attack.

Preventive cardiology involves the prevention of heart disease in the first place (primary prevention), or slowing the progression or recurrence of heart disease (secondary prevention).

Seeing a cardiologist for preventive care is common for people who have a family history of heart disease, or people with significant risk factors for heart disease (e.g., diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, advanced kidney disease, peripheral arterial disease, or stroke).

Patients are typically referred to an interventional cardiologist when minimally invasive procedures are required to diagnose or treat heart problems. They use techniques like cardiac catheterization, angioplasty, and stenting to treat conditions such as heart attacks and coronary artery disease (blockages in the heart’s blood vessels).

A structural cardiologist specializes in diagnosing and treating problems with the heart’s structure, such as disorders of the heart’s valves or chambers. They treat conditions like heart valve disease, congenital heart defects, and heart failure using minimally invasive procedures like transcatheter valve replacement and repair.

Valvular heart disease is the dysfunction of the valves of the heart, most commonly the mitral valve, aortic valve, or tricuspid valve. This can be from abnormally narrowed valves (stenosis) or leaky valves (regurgitation).

Treatment options vary by the valve involved and severity of dysfunction.

Coronary artery disease is a partial or complete blockage of the coronary arteries, which are the vessels supplying blood to the heart muscle. Severe blockages (plaques or atherosclerosis) can cause chest pain with activity (angina).

In most cases, medications are the first-line treatment. If symptoms persist despite medications, they can potentially be relieved by opening the blockage with a stent.

This is different from a heart attack (myocardial infarction), but the concepts are related.

Coronary artery disease is due to blockages (plaques or atherosclerosis) of the coronary arteries, which are vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle. Without treatment with medicines and lifestyle changes, these plaques can slowly but steadily progress from partial to complete blockages.

This generally causes chest pain, jaw pain, arm or shoulder pain, or shortness of breath with ACTIVITY that is relieved by rest (stable angina). Treatment options vary by the severity and location of the blockages.

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) is a related but different concept. If a plaque ruptures and suddenly causes a clot to form in the coronary artery, this abruptly stops blood flow to the heart muscle.

This generally causes chest pain, jaw pain, arm or shoulder pain, or shortness of breath at REST or very low levels of activity. It is a medical emergency that needs to be promptly evaluated and treated at your nearest hospital.