Heart attacks are a serious medical emergency that requires immediate treatment, warned the NHS.
The condition, which is also known as a myocardial infarction, is caused by the heart’s blood supply suddenly becoming blocked.
Having a heart attack is a symptom of coronary heart disease – one of the most common causes of death in the UK and across to the world.
You could be at risk of a heart attack if you usually snore while asleep, it’s been revealed.
Snoring is a common warning sign of sleep apnoea – a condition that causes repeated pauses in breathing throughout the night.
Sleep apnoea is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and heart attacks, according to Harvard Medical School.
Men are more likely to develop sleep apnoea during early life than women.
“If you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep, your partner says you snore a lot, and you’re dragging wearily through your days, the cause might be sleep apnea,” said Harvard.
“Sleep apnea does more than interrupt your slumber. It could also threaten your heart health.
“Sleep apnea is also associated with obesity, which is itself a risk factor for heart disease.”
People with sleep apnoea have a higher chance of developing high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attacks and coronary heart disease.
Harvard continued: “Don’t ignore this important symptom. Ask your doctor if you need a sleep study.
“Snoring is one very obvious sign that you have sleep apnea, but it’s not the only symptom.”
Other warning signs of sleep apnoea include drowsiness, morning headaches, and subtle mood changes.
If you’re at risk of heart attacks, you could lower your risk by making some diet or lifestyle changes.
Having an unhealthy diet could lead to a hardening of the arteries, said the NHS.
Similarly, all UK adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week.
Every seven minutes, someone in the UK has a heart attack, said charity Heart UK.
Around 73,000 people die from coronary heart disease in the UK every year.