In the quiet hours before dawn, when a person reaches for another pillow just to breathe, the body may be sending a message the mind has learned to dismiss. Orthopnea — the struggle to breathe while lying flat — is now being recognized by cardiologists as a frequent and overlooked precursor to serious cardiac events, one that affects the vast majority of heart attack sufferers yet is routinely mistaken for anxiety or indigestion. The mechanics are ancient and unforgiving: a weakened heart lets blood pool backward into the lungs, and gravity, that silent ally of the upright body, withdraws its
Times of India
· Oct 09, 2025
· health
· 3 min read
Medium
Sourcing: Characterized
Orthopnea: The Overlooked Breathing Sign That Precedes Heart Attacks
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Health & Medicine
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Bias & Framing
⚖
Article uses alarming framing and unverified statistics to promote orthopnea awareness, with sensationalized language and reliance on a single doctor's social media claim.
Bias Direction
center-right
Confidence
HIGH
Sensationalism and fear-based health journalism. Uses dramatic language ('body begging you to listen,' 'elephant on the chest,' 'gasping for breath') and an unattributed 92% statistic to create urgency. Frames orthopnea as a universally missed warning sign rather than one of many possible symptoms.
often-overlooked
silent, subtle, and easy to misread
body begging you to listen
clinical red flag
overwhelming
suffocation
critical red flag
real warning
far more serious
Cardiologists or medical organizations providing context on orthopnea's actual prevalence and predictive value
Discussion of orthopnea's many non-cardiac causes (obesity, GERD, anxiety, sleep apnea)
Statistical validation of the 92% claim attributed to Dr. Rahman
Information on actual heart attack warning signs recognized by major health organizations (AHA, ACC)
Perspective from pulmonologists or other specialists
Discussion of false alarm risks and unnecessary anxiety from symptom-focused health articles
Geopolitical Impact
🌎
Medical health article about cardiac warning signs; no geopolitical significance or international implications.
Escalation Risk
N/A
Confidence
HIGH
Economic Lens
📈
Medical awareness article on orthopnea as heart attack warning sign has implications for healthcare spending, diagnostic services demand, and insurance costs related to cardiovascular disease prevention.
Market Signal
neutral
Confidence
MED
Healthcare Services
Medical Diagnostics
Pharmaceutical/Cardiology
Health Insurance
Medical Education
Telemedicine
Increased healthcare awareness may drive higher demand for cardiac screening, diagnostic tests, and preventive cardiology consultations. Could reduce emergency hospitalizations if early detection improves, but may increase routine medical visits and out-of-pocket diagnostic expenses for consumers.
Potential for public health campaigns on cardiovascular disease awareness, revised clinical guidelines emphasizing orthopnea screening, insurance coverage discussions for preventive cardiac diagnostics, and medical education curriculum updates on early warning signs.