Chest pain is often thought of as the main sign of a heart attack. It can feel like squeezing or pressure in the middle of the chest. It may last a while, or go away and come back. But, not all people having a heart attack feel the same pain. Women, older people, or people with certain health problems may not feel pain or have classic symptoms.
Heart Attack SymptomsCopyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
Other common symptoms:
Women may have other symptoms that are not as clear or obvious. They may or may not be with those listed above. These are:
Heart attacks can cause lasting heart damage or death. Do not drive yourself or someone to the hospital. Call emergency medical services so treatment can be started on the way to the hospital. Doing so will lower the amount of heart damage and increase the chances of survival.
Acute coronary syndromes. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116779/Acute-coronary-syndromes. Updated March 15, 2019. Accessed March 27, 2019.
Acute myocardial infarction (MI). Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/cardiovascular-disorders/coronary-artery-disease/acute-myocardial-infarction-mi. Updated December 2018. Accessed March 27, 2019.
Heart attack symptoms in women. American Heart Association website. Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack/heart-attack-symptoms-in-women. Accessed March 27, 2019.
ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115392/ST-elevation-myocardial-infarction-STEMI. Updated July 10, 2018. Accessed March 27, 2019.
Warning signs of a heart attack. American Heart Association website. Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack. Accessed March 27, 2019.
Last reviewed March 2019 by
EBSCO Medical Review Board
Michael J. Fucci, DO, FACC
Last Updated: 3/27/2019