Know the Signs of a Heart Attack

Knowing the warning signs of a heart attack can save your life — or someone else’s. When a heart attack starts, there’s a short window of opportunity to stop damage to the heart. Don’t wait to get help. Every second counts. And pay close attention to these heart-attack warning signs for men and women.

Heart Attack Symptoms in 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 in 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”

Other Resources

• Cardiovascular Wellness
• Women & Heart Disease