question: is it possible to have a heart attack without any warning signs beforehand?

answer: Unfortunately, the answer is yes. a certain percentage of patients will not have chest pain or other symptoms until the time of their heart attack. some patients will suffer "silent" heart attacks (called myocardial infarctions or MI's). also, patients sometimes ignore their warning signs or attribute them to other causes. the classic signs of a heart attack (chest pain or pressure, sweating, shortness of breath) may not be present in all cases. Even an electrocardiogram may not show the classic electrical findings initially. Once symptoms occur, however, a delay in seeking medical attention and treatment for a heart attack can be very serious and in some cases, deadly. Heart disease remains the number one killer of adults in the United States. Any suspicious symptoms, especially in patients with risk factors for heart disease, should be discussed immediately with a qualified medical provider.

Chris Thompson, MD, Cardiologist

question: I am ‘prediabetic’. what does this mean? Are my chances of having full-blown diabetes increased?

answer: Early signs of diabetes are so prevalent that it now has its own label of prediabetes. It’s also known as impaired glucose tolerance. when blood sugar is higher than normal, it puts people at serious risk of complications but not quite high enough to fit into the category of type 2 diabetes.

There are about 20 to 30 million Americans who have prediabetes.

You’re risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 50 percent over 10 years once you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes. it doubles the risk of heart disease and triples the risk of high blood pressure.

Treat it as a red flag and make changes now in your lifestyle to include regular exercise and eat a healthy diet.

Jason Ramm, MD, Family Practice Physician

questions may be submitted to: Healthy Advice, 716 E. Napoleon St., Sulphur, LA 70663 or by emailing . questions cannot be answered individually, but will be considered for publication. please check with your physician for specific recommendations concerning your health concerns. This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Healthy Advice is a weekly column from West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital.