Signs of Heart Attack
Knowing the warning signs of a heart attack can be life-saving. When a heart attack starts, there’s a short window of opportunity to stop heart damage, so don’t wait to get help. Learn heart-attack warning signs, which are different for men and women.
Symptoms For Men
Early signs of a heart attack may feel like the flu or indigestion.
Other signs include:
- Pain, pressure, fullness, burning or a squeezing sensation in the center of the chest behind the breastbone
- Radiating pain that starts in your chest and spreads to the arms, neck, jaw, shoulders or back
- Any prolonged discomfort in your torso, arms, abdomen or jaw that is associated with shortness or breath, troubled breathing or nausea
Symptoms For Women
- All of the symptoms listed above for men
- Prolonged unusual chest pain, stomach or upper abdominal discomfort without shortness of breath
- Severe nausea or “heartburn”
- Unusual or unexpected shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
- Sudden dizziness, weakness or fatigue
- Heart palpitations, cold sweats or pale appearance
- Unexplained “feelings of doom”
If you or someone you know experiences any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately.