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Man Complains About Earache, Then Doctors Realize It’s His Heart
Newsweek • • health
Key Points:
- Cardiologist Kaustubh Dabhadkar highlights that heart attacks can present with atypical symptoms beyond classic chest pain, making diagnosis challenging.
- He shared an anecdote of a patient experiencing ear lobe pain who was found to be having a heart attack, illustrating how heart pain can be "referred" to unusual areas.
- A 2025 study found that over 99% of people with coronary artery disease or stroke had at least one risk factor like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or smoking history prior to diagnosis.
- Dabhadkar warns that about one-third of heart attack patients experience no chest pain, especially in older adults, and symptoms can include jaw, throat, or upper back pain, breathlessness, or unexplained fatigue.
- He urges both physicians and patients to be vigilant about new, effort-induced symptoms and to prioritize EKG testing when multiple concerning signs like cold sweats or nausea occur, emphasizing it is better to have false alarms than miss real heart attacks.
