Heart disease is often misunderstood, and those misconceptions can delay diagnosis and prevention. Northside Hospital Heart Institute cardiologist Dr. Venu Gourineni says many of the assumptions he hears from patients simply aren’t true.
“Heart disease is the number one cause of death,” he said. “Most of the time, heart disease stays silent for decades.” Because of that, believing common myths can be dangerous.
Here are some of the most important myths he addressed — and what people need to know instead.
Myth: Heart attacks happen suddenly without warning.
Many people think heart attacks strike out of nowhere. But that’s rarely the case. In reality, they usually develop slowly.
“Everybody thinks a heart attack happens suddenly without warning,” Dr. Gourineni said. “Heart disease always whispers first. ... Blockages build silently over years before any symptoms.”
Symptoms may not always be obvious. “Not necessarily chest pain,” he said. “Sometimes atypical symptoms like simple fatigue and shortness of breath on exertion can be a sign.”
Myth: If you’re fit and thin, you can’t have heart disease.
“It could be right if you’re an athlete, but there are always other things that play a role,” Dr. Gourineni said.
Being active and maintaining a healthy weight helps, but it doesn’t eliminate risk.
Dr. Gourineni has seen healthy, active patients develop heart disease due to genetics, cholesterol, diabetes or inflammation.
“Even if you’re fit and thin, there are other things that play a role in the heart blockages,” he said.
Myth: Irregular heartbeat always causes symptoms.
Some people assume they would feel a dangerous rhythm problem like atrial fibrillation, but that’s not always the case.
Dr. Gourineni said that 15% of patients with A-fib don’t have palpitations.
“No palpitation doesn’t mean you’re safe, because silent A-fib is still present,” he said.
This makes routine screenings important, even when you feel fine.
Myth: Heart failure means the heart stops working.
The term “heart failure” sounds alarming, but it doesn’t mean the heart has stopped working.
“If someone has a low ejection fraction (EF), the heart is going to stop. Never — not all the time,” he said.
With proper treatment, many people live long lives. “Many live longer with a good treatment,” he added.
Myth: Valve problems always require open-heart surgery.
Many valve problems can be monitored or treated less invasively.
“We don’t act on mild or moderate valve problems,” Dr. Gourineni said.
Even severe valve problems may have a less invasive solution. “There are multiple catheter-based options that we can use to fix the valve through the groin approach,” he added.
Myth: Stents or bypass surgery cure heart disease forever.
Procedures improve blood flow but don’t eliminate the disease.
“Stents or bypass, does it cure heart disease forever? No,” he said. “But remember, the disease progresses also.”
Patients still need medications and prevention strategies.
Myth: Test results always mean the worst.
Advanced imaging can detect minor findings that aren’t dangerous.
“Don’t get discouraged if there is a mild leaky valve,” he said. “There are a lot of ways to prevent progression.”
Most importantly, patients shouldn’t panic. “Don’t panic by looking at minor abnormalities,” Dr. Gourineni said. “Talk to us. We are there to help you.”
Understanding these myths can help people recognize problems earlier and seek care when it matters most.
LEARN MORE ABOUT NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL HEART INSTITUTE.
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