Heart Attack Symptoms:
- Discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back.
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath with or without chest pain.
- Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
- Women can experience a heart attack without chest pressure and may have pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help. Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out. Time is critical in saving lives, call 911 immediately. Do not drive to the hospital; emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment as soon as they arrive, and in most cases much sooner than the time it takes to drive to a hospital.
