What are the symptoms of a Heart attack?

My Dad's 55 and had heart attack-like symptoms last year, and now his legs are swollen. What causes that?

• My Dad turns 56 this year and his health problems are concerning me. About July, 2011 is when it happened. He was at work and he started to have heart attack related symptoms, so he went to the hospital. The Cardiologist did a stress test on his heart to see what caused these symptoms to occur, and why he was having a "False Heart Attack"; yet we were never told what the results were. The Cardiologist told him that there's a posibility that my Dad had a small heart attack in the past that he didn't know of; probably while he was sleeping. Anyways, now his legs are swollen up and hurting more than usual. This really concerns me because my Dad has been a smoker for many years, and his family has a history of heart problems. I love him to death and I don't want to lose him. If anybody with expertise in Cardiology knows what is going on, and can explain to me what's causing this to happen, I would appreciate so very much if you could explain this to me. contact me at: [email protected] God Bless.....

• Answer:

  To some extent I have to agree with "emgee". This is no time to be naive. Smoking causes, among other things, heart disease. You didn't say if the family history of cardiac issues is tabacco-related or not. If it is, then it would seem that your father's learned nothing from it. "The Cardiologist did a stress test on his heart to see what caused these symptoms to occur, and why he was having a "False Heart Attack"; yet we were never told what the results were" -- I'm willing to bet your father WAS told. The cardiologist was under no obligation to tell the rest of you anything. It's your father who is the patient. "Anyways, now his legs are swollen up and hurting more than usual" -- The swelling is called edema and it happens when fluid builds up. And it usually starts in the lower extremities. I'm not in a position to diagnose your dad, and such a thing is outside my scope of nursing practice anyway, but it's been my experience that leg and foot edema is a sign of right-sided heart failure. He absolutely needs to sit down with his cardiologist. The doctor will probably want to put him on a diuretic to help him lose the excess fluid. If the drug is furosemide (Lasix), he'll also be prescribed a potassium supplement to replace the potassium that furosemide strips from the body. If the doctor determines that his symptoms are mild, the drug may be hydrochlorothiazide. There are other meds that can be used according to severity. He'd need to be a low- or no-salt diet. And perhaps an ACE inhibitor, ARB or Beta-blocker (all cardiac medications). But this is all speculation. He needs to see his doctor. He may need an ECG and echocardiogram. He can elevate his legs whenever he sits. This will help reduce edema. He needs to stop smoking today! As of now, your dad has a second chance. But it's up to him whether or not he wants to grab it with both hands.