These Signs Warn about Cardiac Arrest

James Gandolfini, a famous movie star, might have been saved if he knew any of the symptoms that reveal a cardiac arrest beforehand, Maxnews Health reports.

Gandolfini died of sudden cardiac arrest last June at age 51 while he was vacationing in Rome with his family.

“Asymptomatic cardiac death is pretty rare. When you go back and talk to those who survive it, or their families, you’ll find that there is always something that provides an indication that something was wrong before the attack,” Chauncey Crandall, M.D., director of preventative medicine and clinical cardiology at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic says.

“The symptom could be chest pain, even very minor – or shoulder pain, neck pain, back pain, or episodes of nausea. Perhaps their blood pressure was suddenly elevated. All these things can indicate that a heart attack is going to happen.”

“Perhaps their color is off, they feel dizzy, they are short of breath, they fainted, or they are extremely fatigued – all these things can be telltale warning signs,” says Dr. Crandall.

A recent study found that a majority of sudden cardiac death victims do experience warning signs. Researchers gathered information about the symptoms and health history of men 35 to 65 years old, who had out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in 2002-12.

Among 567 men, 53 percent had symptoms prior to the cardiac arrest. Of those with symptoms, 56 percent had chest pain, 13 percent had shortness of breath, and 4 percent had dizziness, fainting, or palpitations. Almost 80 percent of the symptoms occurred between four weeks and one hour before the sudden cardiac arrest.

 Sudden cardiac death occurs more often in men, but the researchers are conducting similar work in women.

According to Dr. Crandall, the important message from the study is that anyone who experiences such symptoms should see their doctor as soon as possible.

 “Don’t ignore symptoms. If you are having symptoms, or your spouse or family member is, take them to see a physician immediately."

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