India, Feb. 2 -- Chest pain is often brushed off as stress, acidity or exhaustion, but ignoring it can be fatal. What begins as mild discomfort can quickly spiral into a life-threatening emergency if the heart's warning signs are missed. Dr Syed Akram Ali, an interventional cardiologist and certified heart failure specialist, highlighted this in his January 8 Instagram post, sharing a real-life case that underscores the importance of timely medical attention. (Also read: Cardiologist reveals how a 37 year old Hyderabad man who ran 5 km daily, never drank or smoked, 'needed 2 heart stents' )

"He ignored the pain. Just a little chest discomfort, he thought. A bit of sweating. Mild breathlessness. 'It will pass,' he said," Dr Ali wrote. Min...