Warning Signs for Heart Attack

While some heart attacks are sudden and intense, most start slowly with mild pain and discomfort. Patients are often not aware of what is wrong and wait too long to get treatment. Individuals may experience symptoms differently. During a heart attack, symptoms may last 30 minutes or longer and are not relieved by rest or nitroglycerin.

Warning signs of a heart attack include:

• Discomfort, pressure, heaviness or pain in the chest, arm or below the breastbone which may feel like squeezing, fullness or pain
• Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat or arm
• Fullness, indigestion or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn)
• Sweating, nausea, vomiting or dizziness
• Extreme weakness, anxiety or shortness of breath
• Rapid or irregular heartbeats

If you think you or someone you know is having a heart attack, call 911 immediately.