February is Heart Health Month

Catch the signs early

Don’t wait to get help if you have any heart attack warning signs. Some heart attacks are sudden and intense. Others start slowly with mild pain or discomfort. Pay attention to your body and call 911 if you have:

• Chest discomfort. Most people having a heart attack feel discomfort in the center of the chest. It can last more than a few minutes, or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in the:
  • Arms (one or both)
  • Back
  • Neck
  • Jaw
  • Stomach
• Shortness of breath. This can happen with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs. Other possible signs include:
  • Breaking out in a cold sweat
  • Nausea
  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • Feeling unusually tired
  • Feeling lightheaded

Symptoms vary between men and women

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain (angina) or discomfort. But women may have other symptoms that are typically less associated with heart attack, such as:

• Anxiety
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Upset stomach
• Pain in the shoulder, back or arm
• Unusual tiredness and weakness

Learn more by visiting the link heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack