The 4 Biggest Early Warning Signs Before A Heart Attack

Huffpost - Mar 15th, 2025
Open on Huffpost

Experts highlight the importance of recognizing early signs of a heart attack, which can occur days or weeks before a cardiac event. These signs include chest pain or pressure, neck, shoulder, or jaw pain, breathlessness, and nausea. The story emphasizes the need for awareness, especially amid rising heart disease mortality during the pandemic, as knowing these symptoms could save lives. Doctors like Dr. Abha Khandelwal and Dr. Roger Blumenthal stress the significance of reporting symptoms and seeking medical advice promptly.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the US, with lifestyle factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes increasing risks. Experts advise adopting heart-healthy habits, including regular exercise and a balanced diet, to reduce the likelihood of heart attacks. Resources like CardioSmart offer guidance on managing heart risk factors. The story underscores the critical role of both preventive measures and medical interventions in combating heart disease, urging people to stay informed and proactive about their heart health.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

7.6
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The article provides a well-rounded overview of heart attack warning signs and prevention strategies, supported by expert opinions from credible medical professionals. Its clarity and accessibility make it a valuable resource for readers seeking to understand heart health. However, the article could benefit from enhanced transparency and additional data to support claims, particularly regarding the pandemic's impact on heart disease mortality. While it effectively raises public awareness, the inclusion of diverse perspectives and more detailed sourcing would strengthen its overall quality. Despite these areas for improvement, the article serves as an informative guide for recognizing and mitigating heart attack risks.

RATING DETAILS

8
Accuracy

The article is largely accurate in its depiction of heart attack warning signs and risk factors. It correctly identifies chest pain, neck and shoulder pain, shortness of breath, and nausea as potential early indicators of a heart attack, aligning with established medical knowledge. However, the claim about increased heart disease mortality during the pandemic lacks specific data or studies to substantiate it, which slightly affects its precision. The article also does not provide quantitative data or specific studies to support the expert opinions, which could enhance its factual basis.

7
Balance

The article primarily presents the viewpoints of medical experts, offering a clinical perspective on heart attack warning signs and prevention. While it effectively highlights expert opinions, it does not include patient perspectives or alternative medical viewpoints that might provide a more comprehensive view of the topic. The focus on medical advice is appropriate given the topic, but the inclusion of diverse perspectives could enrich the narrative and provide a more balanced understanding.

9
Clarity

The article is well-written, with clear and concise language that makes complex medical information accessible to a general audience. The structure is logical, with symptoms and prevention strategies clearly outlined, facilitating easy comprehension. The tone is neutral and informative, effectively conveying the seriousness of the subject without causing undue alarm. This clarity enhances the reader's ability to understand and retain the information presented.

8
Source quality

The article cites credible sources, including medical professionals from reputable institutions like Stanford Health Care and Johns Hopkins University. These sources are authoritative in the field of cardiovascular medicine, lending credibility to the information presented. However, the article could benefit from including additional sources such as peer-reviewed studies or official health statistics to further bolster its reliability and provide a broader evidence base.

6
Transparency

The article provides a clear overview of the symptoms and risk factors associated with heart attacks. However, it lacks transparency in terms of the methodology behind the expert opinions and does not disclose any potential conflicts of interest. The absence of detailed sourcing for the statistics and claims about increased mortality during the pandemic also affects transparency. More explicit disclosure of how information was gathered and any affiliations the experts might have would improve this dimension.

Sources

  1. https://blog.ochsner.org/articles/9-warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack-from-your-body-a-month-before
  2. https://www.dmc.org/healthy-living/corporate-content/early-warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack?c=BRSOC
  3. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-attack/symptoms/
  4. https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/heart-attack-and-stroke-symptoms
  5. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack