"Silent heart attacks" can happen without a person realizing it. | File photo
+ Technology/Innovation
Jeff Gantt | Dec 28, 2016

Study reveals high pain tolerance could mask heart attacks

According to research published in the most recent issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association individuals with high pain tolerance may not recognize that they are having a heart attack.

This puts these individuals at increased risk for poor recoveries. 

“It is unknown why some people experience heart attacks without symptoms,” lead author of the study and Ph.D fellow at the University of Tromso in Norway Dr. Andrea Ohrn said. "One possible explanation for the absence of chest pain is high pain tolerance. To our knowledge, no previous study has examined the relationship between pain sensitivity and recognition of heart attacks."

Heart attack symptoms, which include chest pain, shortness of breath and cold sweats, can sometimes not be obvious. "Silent heart attacks" can happen without a person realizing it.

“Asking patients about their pain sensitivity might provide a clearer picture about their probability of presenting with heart specific symptoms in the case of a heart attack” Ohrn said. “Absence of chest pain should not lower alertness of doctors toward ischemic heart disease.”

The Journal of the American Heart Association is the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

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