A heart attack is probably one of the most widely known emergencies worldwide. It is the number one cause of death in many Western countries, and it is a common cause of concern among seniors and younger adults. A heart attack is a common health problem, and we should be able to distinguish the signs and symptoms to look for urgent medical attention. It is a life-threatening condition, which is why it is recommended to call 911 without any hesitation, even if you only suspect a heart attack and do not feel sure. It is better to check your condition and rule out this health problem than waiting for a longer time until it’s too late.
Heart attack is the common name for a condition called myocardial infarction, commonly addressed by the medical team as MI. It is a medical emergency with serious implications, in which there’s not enough blood flow supplying oxygen and nutrients to the heart. The blood flow to the heart is blocked, and this vital organ starts undergoing cell death with irreversible damage.
In this article, you will find relevant information so you can be able to identify a heart attack, or at least have a suspicion to call medical emergency services right away.
Heart attack warning symptoms
The symptoms and signs of a heart attack result from the hypoxia or lack of oxygen in the cardiac muscle. Even if the heart tissue has not yet undergone cell death, the symptoms are almost the same.
1. Chest pain
It is the number one symptom of a heart attack, and the most commonly reported among patients. Chest pain from a heart attack is often described as discomfort or sensation of pressure in the middle of the chest. It may also give the feeling of fullness or a tightening type of pain. The chest pain is not necessarily sustained for a long time.
Instead, it commonly stops after a few minutes, but it may be severe enough to wake you up in the middle of the night and make you feel desperate, with a sensation of sudden death. However, in some cases, patients describe a type of discomfort and tightening or burning sensation in the chest that is quite bothering but does not necessarily interfere with their activities.
2. Discomfort in other areas
While chest remains to be the most common location of pain during a heart attack, it is not the only one. Many patients are misled and do not seek urgent medical attention because they do not experience the usual chest pain. Instead, they may report a dull sensation of pain in their shoulders and arms, especially the left arm.
Sometimes, the pain from a heart attack is located in the neck and jaw, and sometimes it may feel similar to a stomachache. But how would you distinguish heart attack pain from any other type of pain in your jaw, arm or shoulder? You can’t pinpoint the origin of a heart attack pain. There’s no specific articulation or muscle hurting; it’s a poorly localized pain that usually interferes with your daily activities, and starts or gets worse if you’re exercising or doing any type of physical activity.
3. Indigestion or heartburn
Heartburn and bloating are often misleading, and patients with these symptoms may be having a heart attack instead. Some people experience indigestion and bloating symptoms with frequent burping and abdominal distension just before having a heart attack.
During the cardiovascular event, the chest pain may feel similar to acid reflux or heartburn. So, if you’re having a combination of heartburn with other symptoms, and if you feel it’s a different type of heartburn or something is wrong with you, don’t hesitate to look for urgent medical attention.
4. Shortness of breath
It is more common in women than men, but both of them are likely to experience shortness of breath, even without chest pain. It may seem difficult to breathe, especially in the event of chest pressure and tightening. It feels as if you were wearing very tight clothing that does not allow you to take a deep breath.
This happens because the pumping function of your heart is closely related to your breathing. Your lungs also need oxygenated blood, and when your heart fails to pump well enough, your respiratory function may be affected as well, and you are likely to perceive that by feeling short of breath.
4. Fatigue
Another common symptom in women, often accompanied by shortness of breath, is fatigue. However, it is an unusual type of fatigue. Patients may report feeling exhausted after taking a few steps, enough to feel short of breath, tired and gasping. In some severe cases, walking or climbing the stairs would worsen the symptoms automatically, making the pain even worse.
6. Lightheadedness
Patients often describe feeling dizzy during a heart attack. Women may feel they are about to pass out, especially if they are doing any type of physical activity. Sometimes, lightheadedness is mistaken to be hypoglycemia or a similar condition, but if you’re having additional symptoms, you may suspect something else is going on.
This symptom along with chest pain and any other in this list should warn you to take immediate action and look for medical attention.
7. Sweating
During a heart attack, your body is fighting against whatever is blocking your heart arteries to deliver oxygenated blood to your heart. In this extra effort, the rest of your body tries to keep the normal temperature by making you sweat, even if you’re not doing any physical activity.
They are perceived as cold sweats, and it is a very common symptom when heart attacks wake you up in the middle of the night. Sometimes, senior women may think this is the effect of their menopause, but if your sweating is profuse enough to keep you awake in the middle of the night, you should get checked even if you don’t feel chest discomfort.
8. Heart palpitations
Your heart is always beating, and you don’t feel anything unless you’re laying down on your chest. Heart palpitations are perceived as if your heart is trying to come out from your chest. Sometimes you can feel your heart is beating without rhythm or throbbing unevenly in your chest, even if you’re not laying down.
These heart palpitations may be a signal of arrhythmia or heart attack, and sometimes it can be a mild condition, which may be triggered by stress or anxiety. However, you should not take this symptom lightly, especially when it is accompanied by fatigue, chest pain, lightheadedness, or any of the symptoms we are describing.
9. Heart attack symptoms in women
We have previously mentioned a few symptoms that women usually report, but it is essential to highlight the difference between heart attack symptoms in men and women. Both of them experience chest discomfort or chest pain as the most common symptom, but women are likely to report other symptoms that are usually misleading, especially in the event of not experiencing chest pain.
For example, a woman may wake up in the middle of the night with dull and uncomfortable neck pain and a cold sweat. She may think it is caused by menopause and sleeping in an awkward position, so she stands up to have a sip of water. She suddenly feels dizzy after waking up and starts feeling tired after taking a few steps. A heart attack would be probably the least thing that comes to her mind, but she’s experiencing 4 different warning symptoms at the same time.
Similar to this example, many women who experience these types of symptoms do not seek for medical health, and sometimes a heart attack may even go unnoticed. 1 out of 10 women do not experience chest symptoms during a heart attack, so you need to take the rest of the symptoms seriously as well.
Even if you don’t feel severe chest pain, it is important to seek for medical health right away because, after this cardiovascular event, the cardiac tissue undergoes cell death and the affected tissue will not go back to normal. The function of the heart becomes affected, and the next episode might be life-threatening.
10. Angina and heart attack symptoms
It is also important to talk about the differences between angina and heart attack. The former is caused by a reduction in the blood flow to the cardiac muscle and does not involve cell death. The latter is caused by a complete blockade of the blood flow, which affects the cardiac muscle and leads to cell death. However, if you experience angina, it is a warning sign you should take into consideration because it can turn into a heart attack at any moment.
Angina symptoms usually start after performing physical activity such as exercising, climbing the stairs or walking. This is called stable angina, and it may be triggered by cold temperatures, having a large meal, or emotional stress. All of these triggers cause a narrowing of the heart arteries and compromise the blood flow. However, in advanced cases, angina may strike you without any explanation, and even at rest, which is why this type of angina is called unstable angina.
Both angina and heart attack have very similar symptoms, and you may be having angina symptoms if you’re experiencing the ones we described above. The most reliable way to tell the difference between angina and heart attack is by taking nitroglycerin, which calms down most cases of angina, or through lab tests and performing an electrocardiogram. However, angina symptoms are mild compared to heart attack symptoms, and patients who have experienced both in their bodies would be able to contrast one another.
In this regard, we can also contrast how angina symptoms are experienced in men and women. While men usually experience pressure and tightness in their chest, women may feel a pulsating or stabbing sensation, sometimes a burning or dull pain in the chest that is often confounded with other health problems.
What to do in the event of a heart attack?
A heart attack can happen anytime, anywhere. You might be surrounded by people or all alone by yourself. But regardless of having someone around to help you, there are plenty of things you can do to survive a heart attack after recognizing the symptoms.
The first thing you should do, even if you’re not having severe symptoms, is to look for emergency medical help. Stop what you’re doing, do not walk or overexert yourself, and look for a safe place to rest, especially if you’re driving. Call 911 and describe your symptoms as detailed as you can.
While you’re waiting for the medical team, there is something you can do. If you’re sure you’re not allergic to aspirin, take one. Aspirin may help your body dissolve the blood clot that is probably blocking one of your heart blood vessels and causing the symptoms. It also prevents the blood clot to get bigger and aggravate your condition. When the emergency team arrives, be sure to tell them the medication you’ve taken and the dosage.
If you’re suspecting a heart attack, don’t take nitroglycerin. This medication helps angina patients and does not prevent or improve your heart attack symptoms. It won’t increase your chances of survival either. Another thing you should not do is applying pressure on your chest. It will not help you, and it may contribute to your anxiety and physical exertion. Applying pressure on your chest is only useful after a cardiac arrest when the heart stops beating, and it should be done by someone who has been previously trained to do it.
If you ever experience these symptoms, don’t delay medical attention, especially if you’re having a combination of them. Do not panic, take the appropriate measures, and look for a safe place to wait for the medical help to arrive.