很多人以為心臟病發作都會像電影裡演的，突然捂著胸口、劇烈疼痛，但其實超過四分之一的心肌梗塞是無痛性的，它被稱為「最安靜的殺手」。這種心梗常發生在糖尿病患者、女性、年長者、長期抽菸喝酒或有家族史的人身上，症狀不典型，可能只是疲倦、喘、肩膀痠痛、牙痛、胃痛、噁心、冷汗，或感覺像感冒、消化不良，甚至覺得像宿醉。當事人常以為沒事而錯失黃金搶救期。尤其女性在更年期前後，症狀更容易被忽略。
心臟病不等於胸痛，很多人直到健檢才發現心肌已壞死一大塊。想預防，就要注意家族史、三高控制、血管年齡檢查與 ApoE 基因檢測，平時保持規律運動、避免暴怒與冷熱驟變，若出現不明原因的極度疲倦或呼吸不順，千萬不要掉以輕心，因為心臟很會「撐」，但當它倒下時，身邊的人可能來不及救你。
Many people think heart attacks are like in the movies – sudden chest pain and dramatic collapse. In reality, over a quarter of heart attacks are silent and known as the “quietest killer.” These often occur in people with diabetes, women, older adults, long-term smokers or drinkers, and those with a family history. Symptoms are atypical, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, shoulder pain, toothache, stomach pain, nausea, cold sweats, or feeling like having a flu, indigestion, or even a hangover. Patients often think it’s nothing serious and miss the golden rescue window, especially women before or after menopause.
Heart attacks don’t always cause chest pain, and many only discover heart damage during health checks. Prevention includes knowing your family history, managing chronic conditions, checking vascular age and ApoE genes, exercising regularly, and avoiding anger or sudden temperature changes. If you experience unexplained extreme fatigue or breathing difficulty, do not ignore it. The heart is good at “enduring,” but when it collapses, people around you may not have time to save you.
