There is a reason sudden collapse often feels shocking. Heart emergencies can happen without much notice, but they are rarely without a cause. In many cases, the heart has been under strain for months or even years before the body reaches its breaking point. The difficulty is that the warning signs are often dismissed as stress, malaria, ageing or the exhaustion that comes with trying to keep up with everyday life in Nigeria.

Heart disease is also widely misunderstood. Many people use terms such as heart attack, heart failure and cardiac arrest interchangeably, even though they describe different medical conditions. Cardiovascular disease is the broad term for disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease, heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. According to the World Health Organisation, cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death globally, claiming nearly 20 million lives in 2022. Heart attacks and strokes account for most of those deaths.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot. Heart failure does not mean the heart has stopped working. It means the heart has become too weak or too stiff to pump blood effectively. Cardiac arrest, the condition most commonly linked to sudden collapse, happens when the heart suddenly stops beating properly because of an electrical disturbance. Although a heart attack can trigger cardiac arrest, the two are not the same.

When your body starts asking for help

One of the biggest misconceptions about heart disease is that it always begins with severe chest pain. In reality, the body often sends quieter signals that are easy to dismiss.

Chest discomfort may feel like pressure, tightness, heaviness or burning rather than a sharp pain. It may spread to the shoulders, neck, jaw, back or one arm and often becomes worse during physical activity. Some people experience shortness of breath long before they notice any pain. Walking a short distance, climbing stairs or carrying shopping bags may suddenly leave them unusually breathless because the heart is struggling to pump blood efficiently.

Persistent fatigue is another warning sign many Nigerians ignore. Feeling exhausted after a demanding day is normal. Feeling drained after doing very little is not. Doctors say unexplained tiredness, especially when it lasts for weeks or is accompanied by breathlessness, deserves medical attention.

Also Read: World Sickle Cell Day: Can Nigerians trust their genotype results?

Swelling in the feet, ankles or legs can also be a warning sign. This happens when blood is not circulating effectively, causing fluid to collect in the lower parts of the body. Some people notice that their shoes become tighter or that swelling no longer disappears after a night’s rest.

Others experience irregular heartbeats, fluttering sensations or episodes where the heart suddenly races without physical exertion. While not every palpitation is dangerous, repeated episodes accompanied by dizziness, fainting or chest discomfort should never be ignored. Fainting itself can be a serious warning sign because it may indicate that the brain is not receiving enough blood due to an underlying heart problem.

The silent conditions that damage the heart

Perhaps the greatest danger is that some of the biggest threats to the heart produce no warning symptoms at all.

High blood pressure, often called the silent killer, can quietly damage blood vessels and the heart for years before the first symptom appears. According to the World Health Organisation, hypertension is one of the leading risk factors for heart attack, heart failure and stroke, yet many people only discover they have it after suffering a medical emergency. The only reliable way to know if blood pressure is high is to have it checked regularly.

Diabetes and high cholesterol can be just as dangerous. Excess cholesterol gradually narrows the arteries supplying blood to the heart, while poorly controlled diabetes damages blood vessels and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, physical inactivity and diets high in salt and unhealthy fats further increase the strain on the heart over time.

These risks are no longer confined to older adults. Cardiologists are seeing more cases among younger people, driven by sedentary lifestyles, poor diets, chronic stress and untreated hypertension. The belief that heart disease is only an illness of old age has become increasingly outdated.

Do not wait for your heart to shout

One of the most dangerous assumptions is that heart disease always announces itself dramatically. Sometimes it does. More often, it whispers.

A persistent feeling of breathlessness, unexplained fatigue, chest discomfort or repeated dizziness may seem harmless on their own, but together they can point to a heart that is already under pressure. Ignoring those signs because they resemble stress or malaria can delay treatment until the condition becomes life-threatening.

Not every sudden collapse can be prevented, and not every heart emergency comes with obvious symptoms. However, many lives can be saved through routine blood pressure checks, regular medical assessments and paying attention when the body begins to behave differently.

Cynthia Nwanonyiri