When certain symptoms emerge at the same time, they may be worth getting checked by a doctor
Heart attacks are among the most feared conditions, partly because they strike without warning.
But medical experts say telltale signs can emerge weeks before the event - yet more people fail to recognise them.
Primary care physician and medical doctor at LIV3 Health, Dr Paul Gross, outlined the subtle symptoms that should prompt concern - chief among them persistent fatigue and disrupted sleep patterns.
Understand that the early indicators can prove vital, particularly because the signs frequently mimic everyday tiredness and are all too easily dismissed by both patients and clinicians.
A heart attack often results from a gradual reduction in oxygen delivery to the heart muscle, caused by arteries that have progressively narrowed over time.
Dr Gross explained that the body frequently compensates before a complete blockage develops.
"Fatigue and disrupted sleep may develop as the heart begins to receive progressively less oxygen due to decreased blood flow caused by narrowed arteries," he told GB News.
The key distinction lies in how the tiredness responds to rest, as routine typically eases once a person has recovered properly.
"If you are experiencing persistent fatigue along with shortness of breath, chest pressure or decreased ability to engage in physical activity, you should seek immediate medical evaluation."
It's when the fatigue lingers alongside other cardiovascular symptoms that alarm bells ought to ring.
Dr Gross noted that timing also matters and certain hours carry greater risk.
Some patients particularly find that their symptoms intensify during the night or in the early morning.
Dr Goss said: "The effects of changes in a person's resting heart rate and blood pressure throughout the day may exacerbate decreased oxygen delivery to tissues."
Nightly recurrences of breathlessness or chest discomfort should never be written off as simply part of getting older either.
"Sleep disruptions caused by symptoms which recur nightly or continue despite low amounts of physical exertion are not normal for ageing," Dr Gross cautioned.
He noted that the picture becomes more complex when considering the differences between male and female patients, however.
Women are particularly vulnerable to missed diagnoses because their symptoms frequently diverge from classic presentations.
Many women experience less commonly recognised symptoms like unexplained tiredness, nausea, shortness of breath, or jaw, back or upper abdominal discomfort instead of well-known symptoms like crushing chest pain.
But the signs are all too often mistaken for other medical conditions, creating a blind spot for patients and the doctors treating them.
