These two terms are often mixed up, but they are not the same.
A truly silent heart attack causes no symptoms that the person recognizes at the time.
It may only be discovered months or even years later during a routine electrocardiogram (ECG), heart tracing, or another heart test that shows evidence of past damage.
Because there were no recognized warning signs, there was nothing obvious for that person to act on in the moment.
A missed heart attack is different.
The symptoms were there.
They simply did not seem serious enough, or they were mistaken for something else.
This article is mostly about missed heart attacks because those are the ones people may still be able to recognize early enough to seek emergency care.
The Symptoms Can Be Wider Than You Expect
Chest discomfort is common.
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But it is not the whole picture.
Some people notice unusual shortness of breath doing activities that felt easy only weeks before.
Others feel discomfort in the jaw, neck, upper back, shoulder, or one or both arms.
Some experience nausea, vomiting, or what seems like severe indigestion that feels different from their usual stomach upset.
A sudden cold sweat may appear without obvious reason.
Some become lightheaded.
Others describe overwhelming exhaustion that seems completely out of proportion to what they have done that day.
These symptoms are not unique to women.
They can happen in anyone having a heart attack.
The important point is that they sometimes appear together or alongside chest discomfort, making the picture more complicated than many people expect.
