Recognizing a Heart Attack

Some heart attacks are severe and sudden, and there is no doubt about what is happening. But many heart attacks begin more subtly and gradually. People may not recognize what is happening to them. However, certain symptoms may indicate that a heart attack is happening. People who have one or more of these symptoms, even if the symptom goes away, should immediately call an emergency telephone number (usually 911) or go to the hospital.

Getting treatment as soon as possible can reduce the amount of damage done to the heart and increase the chances of a good recovery. Symptoms of a heart attack include the following:

• Discomfort—pressure, tightness, squeezing, heaviness, or pain—in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes
• Discomfort or pain in other areas of the upper body, especially the left arm, that lasts more than a few minutes
• Shortness of breath that lasts more than a few minutes, especially if it is not caused by a person's activities (such as vigorous exercise) or another disorder (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD)
• Indigestion that lasts more than a few minutes and that is unrelated to eating
• Fainting
• A cold sweat