The signs of a heart attack can be varied, and some people even miss that they’ve had a mild heart attack. This is unfortunate because small unnoticed heart attacks can cause damage to the heart, and may be precursors to larger attacks. Even if you appear to only have a few signs of a heart attack, you should call emergency services immediately. Don’t wait to drive to the hospital, if emergency services can get to you more quickly. Immediate treatment and diagnosis improves survival rate.
The most obvious signs of a heart attack are chest pain and shortness of breath. Chest pain is often described as spasmodic, squeezing pain. It may be intense and then go away for a few minutes, only to return. People may additionally feel like they cannot catch their breath. This symptom may or may not be present, but it can be augmented if the chest feels squeezed and painful too.
Some people don’t feel signs of a heart attack in their chest. Especially women are likely to notice pain in their back or jaw instead of in their chest, though many also have chest pain. Women can be prone to nausea and/or vomiting, and men may experience this symptom too. Other areas where pain can be felt include the stomach, the neck and either arm. It’s commonly thought that pain in the left arm indicates heart attack, but actually either or both arms can hurt, or neither one can hurt.
Another of the signs of heart attack is lightheadedness. People may feel dizzy, a little disoriented, and need to sit down or rest. Again, this symptom doesn’t occur in everyone. Some people sweat profusely, usually a cold sweat that may be accompanied by some chills.
When a person has had a massive heart attack, they may have lost consciousness and they may not be breathing. Some people take irregular shallow breaths and you cannot rouse them or wake them up. Whether the signs of a heart attack are hugely noticeable, such as loss of consciousness, or just perceptible, it is always in your best interest to get immediate medical care.
It’s important that all people learn the signs of a heart attack so that they can recognize them in themselves and others. You do want to look for the most common sign, chest pain, but women should especially not overlook other signs like jaw pain and vomiting. It wasn’t until recently known that women tended to present with somewhat different symptoms than men, but being aware these differences, and knowing all the potential signs for both genders can save a life, and it could be your life!
