Heart Attack Symptoms: 6 Common Heart Attack Signs To Watch Out For
Article at a glance
- A heart attack occurs when arteries that send blood to the heart are blocked by cholesterol deposits. If the plaque ruptures, it may form a blood clot preventing blood flow to and from the heart.
- Coronary artery disease commonly causes heart attacks, although other conditions and risk factors can also increase the likelihood of their occurrence.
- Taking certain medications, making lifestyle changes, and managing risk factors can help prevent a heart attack.
What is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when an artery that sends blood and oxygen to the heart is blocked due to fatty, cholesterol-containing deposits building up over time. If a plaque deposit ruptures, a blood clot can form, blocking arteries and causing a heart attack.
During a heart attack, a lack of blood flow causes the tissue in the heart muscle to die. Prompt treatment is needed for a heart attack to prevent death; call 911 or emergency medical help if you think you might be having a heart attack.
Causes of a Heart Attack
The most common cause of a heart attack is coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is a condition where one or more arteries are blocked by plaque or cholesterol deposits that can build up over time, reducing blood flow to the heart. Heart attacks can result from an acute complete blockage caused by a ruptured plaque or a gradual, partial blockage from atherosclerosis.
Outside of CAD, there are a few other potential causes for a heart attack, including:
- Coronary artery spasm, or intense squeezing of an unblocked blood vessel
- Viral infections such as COVID-19
- Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), or a tear in the heart artery
What is Cardiac Arrest?
Cardiac arrest is the sudden cessation of heart function caused by an electrical issue that results in an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia). During cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating on its own, and without immediate medical treatment, it can be fatal in a matter of minutes.
When someone is experiencing cardiac arrest, they may pass out, stop breathing, or have no pulse. It’s important to call 911 immediately if someone goes into cardiac arrest. Performing CPR or using an AED (automated external defibrillator) until help arrives can be lifesaving.
Heart Attack Symptoms
While some symptoms of a heart attack can sometimes resemble other conditions, early recognition is vital. Knowing the signs and seeking immediate help can significantly improve the chances of survival.
Symptoms of a heart attack can include:
- Chest discomfort (uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain, burning or heaviness)
- Shortness of breath
- Squeezing fullness or pain in the upper body, including the neck, jaw, shoulder, arms, and back
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Cold sweat
Don’t hesitate to call 911 or your local emergency number immediately if you experience any of these signs, as it’s almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment.
Differences in Symptoms Between Men & Women
Heart attack symptoms vary between men and women which can make a heart attack even more difficult to detect.
Female Symptoms of Heart Attack
Chest pain is the most likely symptom of heart attack in both men and women but women are more likely to experience additional subtle symptoms that may be less likely to be associated with a heart attack, such as:
- Anxiety
- Upset stomach
- Short, sharp pain in the arm or neck
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea/vomiting
- Fatigue
Male Symptoms of Heart Attack
Meanwhile, associated symptoms that are more common for men include:
- Heart palpitations
- Cold sweat
- Pain in arms, neck, jaw, or back
- Difficulty breathing, dizziness
Less Common Heart Attack Symptoms
While not as common, there are other symptoms that may also indicate a heart attack, such as:
- Fainting or seizure during physical activity
- Fainting or seizure from distress or being startled
- Brief or sharp pain felt in the neck, arm, or back
- Pressure or pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
- Upper back pressure or extreme fatigue
Heart Attack Risk Factors and Prevention
Health conditions, lifestyle factors, and family history can increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack.
Key heart attack risk factors include:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Age (for men, ages 45+ and women ages 55+)
- Family history
- Stress
- Autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
- Preeclampsia history
- Lifestyle choices such as little exercise and poor diet
- Metabolic syndrome
Some risk factors, such as age and family history, cannot be controlled, but others, such as lifestyle choices, can be modified to reduce the risk.
Taking Steps to Prevent Heart Attacks
It’s never too late to take steps to prevent a heart attack, even if you’ve already had one.
Ways to prevent a heart attack include:
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through exercise, healthy eating, and adequate rest.
- Managing risk factors, such as quitting smoking and treating health conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes that can lead to heart attack.
- Get regular health checkups to look for risk factors or warning signs of a heart attack before it occurs.
Additionally, if you’re at risk for a heart attack or want to prevent another from occurring, you can choose to do cardiac rehabilitation. Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised program that includes exercise, nutrition counseling, and stress management to help improve heart health and quality of life.
What to Do in Case of a Heart Attack
If you or someone you know begins experiencing symptoms or signs that might be a heart attack, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Don’t delay even if you’re unsure, because every minute counts. Even more, never attempt to drive yourself or a person to the emergency room; always call for an ambulance. After contacting for help, you can do a few things while waiting for emergency medical services to arrive:
- Check for or take medication: Take aspirin if you/the person are not allergic or intolerant (one 325 mg tablet or two 81 mg tablets). Aspirin can help thin your blood and make it easier for blood to reach your heart. If you/the person has been prescribed nitroglycerin, take it as soon as possible.
- Perform CPR, if necessary: If a person has stopped breathing, usually due to cardiac arrest, performing CPR can help until emergency teams arrive.
- If necessary, use an Automated external defibrillator (AED): AEDs are often in public places and can help shock the heart if it’s stopped beating.
Heart Attack Diagnosis
A few tests may be run by the ER or your care provider to diagnose a heart attack. These tests often include:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
- Chest X‑ray
- Blood tests
- Echocardiogram
- Angiogram
- Cardiac computed tomography (CT) or Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Heart Attack Treatment
When brought in for a heart attack, medical services will treat the immediate symptoms, such as providing CPR or using a defibrillator if a person isn’t breathing. Oxygen will also be provided.
Once a heart attack has been diagnosed, the specific treatment will depend on the type of blockage that caused the heart attack. Medications and surgical procedures may be performed to treat the condition.
Medications
Medications that may be administered to help with a heart attack include:
- Aspirin
- Clot busters
- Nitroglycerin
- Morphine
- Blood-thinning medications
- Beta-blockers
- Statins
Surgical Procedures
For severe heart attacks, surgery may be necessary. There are a few different types of surgery that may be performed, including:
- Coronary angioplasty: This procedure involves taking a catheter with a small balloon attached at the top, inserting the catheter through the blocked artery, and slowly inflating the balloon to widen the artery. Sometimes, a stent may be placed to help keep the artery open.
- Coronary artery bypass grafting: This procedure is another term for open heart surgery. This involves a surgeon taking a healthy blood vessel from somewhere else in the body and using it to create a new pathway for the blood to go around the blocked artery and back to the heart.
Heart Attack Recovery
Heart attack symptoms should decrease as treatment is received, but you may still experience lingering weakness and fatigue during your hospital stay and for several days after.
Depending on the treatment, expect to stay in the hospital for a few days (the average stay is around 4–5 days) and follow your healthcare provider’s guidance on rest, medications, and lifestyle changes.
Possible Complications
Complications after a heart attack are often the result of heart damage that occurred during the attack. The longer a heart attack goes untreated, the higher the risk of potential complications.
Examples of complications that could occur after a heart attack include:
- Arrhythmias, or atypical/irregular heartbeats
- Cardiac arrest, which happens when the heart abruptly stops beating
- Heart failure, which occurs if the heart becomes too damaged to pump blood
- Cardiogenic shock, which happens when the heart is abruptly unable to pump blood
- Pericarditis, or inflammation of tissue around the heart
FAQ
What are the signs of a sudden heart attack?
A significant sign of a sudden heart attack can be chest pain or discomfort, which may feel like pressure or tightness across the chest that spreads to the arm (typically the left arm). This feeling may spread to other body parts, such as the jaw, neck, or back. Dizziness, lightheadedness, and sweating may also occur.
Why should I call 911 if I, or someone else, can drive me to the hospital?
The main reason to call 911 if you've had a heart attack is that the longer a heart attack goes without treatment, the more tissue damage occurs to the heart. Calling for an ambulance will ensure you get the fastest treatment possible, both in the ambulance and by being transported quickly to the hospital.
