Pressure in the Upper Stomach Was a Heart Attack: Mr. Tony’s Story

That afternoon, Mr. Tony was at work as usual. After lunch, he felt pressure and heaviness around his upper stomach and abdomen. Those symptoms turned out to be signs of a heart attack. Thanks to a quick-thinking colleague, he was soon taken to Heartology for treatment.

Symptoms That Would Not Ease

"After lunch there were symptoms, like pressure around my upper stomach and abdomen," Mr. Tony recalled. The discomfort did not improve even after he rested. He also broke out in a cold sweat and began to shiver.

At the time, Mr. Tony was speaking with a colleague on the phone. From the tone of his voice, the colleague sensed something was wrong. "My colleague could already tell from the tone of my voice on the phone," Mr. Tony said. After discussing it with the company's human resources department, the colleague decided to take Mr. Tony to Heartology.

His experience shows that heart attack symptoms are not always obvious chest pain. A feeling of pressure or heaviness in the upper stomach, together with a cold sweat, can also be a sign that needs to be checked right away.

Prompt Treatment at Heartology

Mr. Tony arrived at the emergency department only half conscious, and he remembers feeling worried. After examining him, Dr. dr. Faris Basalamah, Sp.JP (K) told him that he was likely having a heart attack and needed treatment right away.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is cut off because a coronary artery is blocked. To reopen the blockage, the team performed primary PCI (primary percutaneous coronary intervention), an emergency procedure to open the coronary artery using a catheter, a thin tube inserted through a blood vessel, with a balloon and stent when needed. According to Mr. Tony, the procedure was under way in less than 90 minutes.

After the Procedure

After leaving the procedure room, Mr. Tony was cared for in the ICU. He explained that one blocked vessel had been treated, while two others were still being addressed. His condition gradually improved, and he says he is deeply grateful for the care he received that day.

From his experience, Mr. Tony urges you not to put off getting checked. "Friends who feel pain around the shoulder blades, do take the time to see a cardiologist," he said. If you feel pain in your chest or around your shoulder blades, do not wait for it to pass on its own; see a cardiologist promptly.