Is it possible to have a normal pulse rate during a heart attack?!


Question: I am an early 50's athletic individual who takes cholesterol lowering meds as I have a history of high cholesterol and a family history of heart attack. This morning I got real dizzy and my left arm felt a certain numbness. And yet, my pulse rate is between 64 and 76 which is my normal range. Hence, my question.


Answers: I am an early 50's athletic individual who takes cholesterol lowering meds as I have a history of high cholesterol and a family history of heart attack. This morning I got real dizzy and my left arm felt a certain numbness. And yet, my pulse rate is between 64 and 76 which is my normal range. Hence, my question.

Boo Boo - It can be normal. Dizzy and left arm pain is a ticket to ER. Some people don't get much warning.

Tests are routine. ER will do a sequence to see if you are having a problem. Maybe you are not -that's good. If you are, failure to address it can result in your being very sick the rest of your life.

Unfortunately the heart will compensate for damage by a heart attack by working harder. You will go along just fine but the heart will begin to enlarge because it is working so hard and it results in heart failure, it happens all of a sudden. Heart failure is fatal. 53% of persons diagnosed die within the first 5 years. Death is typically by suffocation from fluid in lungs or sudden cardiac death.

I have attached a web site that shows heart attack symptoms. It's not what most people think,

Get checked. I didn't until it was too late.

Take it easy till Monday - No 3 minute miles. Report It


Other Answers (3)




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  • Not really, since the definition of a heart attack is that the heart stops working- period.

    However, I really recommend that you get yourself to a doctor- yesterday.

    it might
    or if it is a mild one
    i think at our age if we have signs we should see a doctor
    it could be clogged arteries leading to attack

    sorry but the last answer was in a way incorrect. A heart attacks end consequence is obviously end of life or no heartbeat if left untreated but a heart attack itself is not a result of no heartbeat. Cessation of heartbeat is known as cardiac arrest or asystole, which tends to be an end result of VF (Ventricular Fibrilation) in alot of cases which can happen if you have a heart disease.

    Your heartbeat can be either tachycardic or bradycardic during a heart attack, so no i don't believe you had have a normal pulse rate at the time of a heart attack, normal being around 60-70 beats per minute for an adult. Heart rate does decrease though with age but that doesn't necessarily indicate anything is amiss

    Hope that somewhat helps

    Dave





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