How to Recognize a Heart Attack and What to Do Next

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack is a medical emergency that occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked.

A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when an artery supplying blood to the heart becomes blocked. This blockage can be caused by a buildup of plaque in an artery wall, or a rupture of aromatherapist plaque in an artery wall. The result is that less oxygen-rich blood reaches the cells of the myocardium, which causes them to die and leads to chest pain and other symptoms.

Heart attacks are often associated with coronary artery disease, but they can also occur due to other conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes. In some cases, no cause can be found for a person's first heart attack.

What are the Most Common Symptoms of a Heart Attack?

Heart attacks and cardiac arrest are life-threatening health emergencies. Symptoms may include chest pain, breathlessness, nausea, and sweating. Other symptoms include pain in the arm or shoulder, neck stiffness, indigestion, and dizziness.

Typical heart attack symptoms

Chest discomfort or pain. This discomfort or pain can feel like a tight ache, pressure, fullness, or squeezing in the chest lasting more than a few minutes. This discomfort may come and go.

Upper body pain. Pain or discomfort may spread beyond the chest to the shoulders, arms, back, neck, teeth, or jaw. Some people have upper body pain with no chest discomfort.

Stomach pain. Pain may extend downward into the belly area and may feel like heartburn.

Shortness of breath. You may gasp for breath or try to take in deep breaths. This often occurs before any chest discomfort. Some people don't have chest discomfort.

Anxiety. You may feel a sense of doom or feel as if you're having a panic attack for no apparent reason.

Lightheadedness. In addition to feeling chest pressure, you may feel dizzy or feel like you might pass out.

Sweating. You may suddenly break into a sweat with cold, clammy skin.

Nausea and vomiting. You may feel sick to your stomach or vomit.

Heart palpitations. You may feel as if your heart is skipping beats, or you may just be very aware that your heart is beating.

What Should You Do if You Think You're Having a Heart Attack?

Heart attacks are one of the most common causes of death in the United States. They are caused by a blockage in the coronary artery which prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart.

Symptoms may not be dramatic

Movies and TV often portray heart attacks as dramatic, chest-clutching events. But heart attacks often begin with subtle symptoms — such as discomfort that may not even be described as pain.

It can be tempting to try to downplay the symptoms or brush them off as indigestion or anxiety. But don't "tough out" heart attack symptoms for more than five minutes. Call 911 or other emergency medical services for help.

How to Prevent & Treat Future Heart Attacks

Heart attacks are the most common cause of death in the United States. And if you survive, you are at a higher risk for another heart attack. This is why it's important to know how to prevent and treat future heart attacks.

In order to prevent a heart attack, you should make sure that your diet is healthy and your cholesterol levels are low. If you have an existing heart condition, then it's best that you take your medication as prescribed by your doctor. You should also avoid smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, and being physically inactive.

If you suspect that someone has had a heart attack, then call 911 immediately or if they are unresponsive, start CPR immediately until paramedics arrive on the scene.

Women may have different symptoms

Women may have all, many, a few, or none of the typical heart attack symptoms. Some type of pain, pressure, or discomfort in the chest is still a common symptom of a heart attack in women. However, many women have heart attack symptoms without chest pain. Symptoms of a heart attack in women may include:

Pain in the neck, back, shoulders , or jaw

Shortness of breath

Stomach pain or heartburn

Pain in one or both arms

Nausea or vomiting

Dizziness or fainting

Unusual or unexplained fatigue, possibly for days

Older adults and people with diabetes may have no or very mild symptoms of a heart attack. Never ignore heart attack symptoms, even if they don't seem serious.

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