This information is provided for your educational use.  It is not intended to replace recommendations made by your health care provider.

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Heart Attack: Know the Warning Signs

01/25/06

FEBRUARY—HEART HEALTH MONTH

Heart Attack: Know the Warning Signs and Reduce Your Risk

Warning Signs

It is vital that you know the warning signs of a heart attack and take fast action when they occur. You could save a life in doing so and maybe even your own. The warning signs may include:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
• Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
• Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

If you feel heart attack symptoms, do not delay. Remember, minutes matter! Do not wait for more than a few minutes–5 minutes at most–to call 9-1-1.

Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, you should still have it checked out.

Reduce Your Risk

Following are steps you can take to reduce your risk of having a heart attack:

• Stop smoking
• Lower high blood pressure
• Aim for a healthy weight
• Be physically active every day
• Manage diabetes

For More Information on Heart Health

Visit the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute website at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ and the American Heart Association website at http://www.americanheart.org

Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime/.