We often hear about someone having a sudden heart attack and either ending up hospitalized or dead. I think of people like Dr. D. James Kennedy, Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At 76-years of age, Kennedy suffered a sudden heart attack in his sleep and died in 2007. His death was a shock to his church and many Christians throughout the United States. Kennedy was not only a servant of Christ, he was a warrior of the faith and stood up against the growing religious persecution that was trying to silence him and other Christians.

But are sudden heart attacks really sudden or do people either ignore or are ignorant of the warning signs our body sends us up to a month in advance? One source lists 8 warning signs we should pay attention to:

• Unusual fatigue – One of the warning signs that is often ignored or miss-understood is unusual fatigue, especially in women. This is not the fatigue one gets from physical or even mental activity. This is the kind of fatigue that will happen daily. It builds during the day and becomes worse towards evening. Simple routine activities liking taking a shower, making the bed or washing the dishes will exhaust you, when it never did before.
• Abdominal pain – Occurs equally in men and women. One of the most common warning signs of an impending heart attack. It can range from feeling bloated to upset stomach and nausea whether the stomach is full or empty. These abdominal pains tend to come on and then ease off, only to return again and again.
• Insomnia – This effects about 50% of the women who have a heart attack. It can be difficulty getting to sleep, difficulty staying asleep and waking earlier than normal. Quite often, these symptoms are confused with being the results of mental or physical stress. In my own case, I rarely have difficulty getting to sleep, but I have great difficulty staying asleep. I live with constant pain which makes it hard to stay asleep and I’ve been this way for many years, so it would be difficult for me to recognize this symptom, but for most people, this is a warning sign not to be ignored.
• Shortness of breath – Also known as dyspnea or breathlessness, this is when you find it difficult to draw a deep breath. This can happen up to 6 months prior to a heart attack and is found in about 40% of all heart attack cases. It also affects men and women equally.
• Hair loss – Most common in men over 50, but can be found in women also. Sudden hair thinning and loss, generally on the crown of the head. This is often viewed as simple baldness, which has been found to be associated with an increased level of the hormone cortisol, which can be produced due to pending heart trouble.
• Irregular heartbeat – Whenever we physically exert ourselves, our heartrate increases. However, some people, men and women, may experience an irregular or increased heartbeat while sitting or resting. It often lasts for 1-2 minutes and then returns to normal. The closer to an impending heart attack, the longer one might experience an irregular or increased heartbeat. If this is happening to you, SEE YOUR DOCTOR ASAP!
• Excessive sweating – Sudden episodes of excessive sweating when not doing anything physical and can occur at any time of day, but may occur more often at night. This happens in women more than men, but is often written off as being a hot flash linked to menopause.
• Chest pain – Affects men and women, but more often men. Only about 30% of women experience chest pains prior to a heart attack. Chest pains maybe nothing more than an uncomfortable feeling in one or both arms – although it generally is felt more in the left arm. It can also be felt in the neck, shoulders, stomach and lower jaw. Sometimes it only lasts a few moments and other times it can last for a prolonged period of time. This is your body telling you to go seek medical help ASAP!

You know your body better than anyone else. You know best what is normal and what isn’t. Sometimes, other physical conditions can mimic or mask some of these symptoms. However, pay attention to your body. Listen to it when it is trying to warn you of something like a heart attack. If you suspect something is not normal, see your doctor or emergency care.