Heart Attack Symptoms

“Many women think the signs of a heart attack are unmistakable — the image of the elephant comes to mind — but in fact they can be subtler and sometimes…”.1

Umbrella
What may the Heart Attack Symptoms Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Heart Attack Signs
  • Heart Attack Symptoms
  • Heart Attack Warning Signs

Movie Heart Attacks

Are heart attacks in real life the same as heart attacks in movies?

Yes and no. In Warning Signs of A Heart Attack: Catch the Signs Early. the American Heart Association (AHA) elaborate on:

“Some heart attacks are sudden and intense. But most start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort”.2

First Step

What is the first step to surviving a heart attack?

In Know the Symptoms the (United States) Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health (OWH) elaborate on:

“The first step to surviving a heart attack is to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack”.3

Signs and Symptoms

What are the most common signs and symptoms of a heart attack?

In Heart Attack Symptoms: What Are the Symptoms of A Heart Attack? the British Heart Foundation (BHF) explain:

“Heart attack symptoms can vary but the most common signs of a heart attack are:

  • Chest pain or discomfort that suddenly occurs and doesn’t go away. It may feel like pressure, squeezing or heaviness in your chest
  • Pain that may spread to your left or right arm or may spread to your neck, jaw, back or stomach
  • Feeling sick, sweaty, light-headed or short of breath

Other less common symptoms include:

  • A sudden feeling of anxiety that can feel similar to a panic attack
  • Excessive coughing or wheezing due to a build up of fluid in the lungs”.4

In Heart Attack Symptoms: What Are the Symptoms of A Heart Attack? the BHF also note:

“Pain levels can also vary from person to person. For some people the pain or tightness in their chest is severe, while other people just feel uncomfortable, or pain similar to indigestion.

Heart attack symptoms can persist over days, or they can come on suddenly and unexpectedly”.5

Different Differences

Heart Attack Symptoms Heart Attack Symptoms
What are the differences in heart attack symptoms for men and women?

In Heart Attack Symptoms: What Are the Differences In Heart Attack Symptoms for Men and Women? the BHF explain:

“It’s a common misconception that men and women experience different symptoms when having a heart attack. While symptoms vary from person to person, there are no symptoms that women experience more or less often than men”.6

Women

In women, what is the most common heart attack symptom?

The AHA note:

Heart Attack Symptoms“Many women think the signs of a heart attack are unmistakable — the image of the elephant comes to mind — but in fact they can be subtler and sometimes confusing”.7

In Know the Symptoms the OWH explain:

“The most common heart attack symptom in women and men is chest pain. However, women are more likely to have at least one of these other heart attack signs.

Many women say that they felt “off” or that something was “just not right” before their heart attack, but they didn’t realize their symptoms could be related to their heart. Not all heart attacks feel the same. Some are sudden and intense. Others may start slowly with mild pain or discomfort, which can come and go over several hours, or get worse. New symptoms, or a change in the pattern of existing symptoms, are cause for concern. The only way to be sure is for hospital emergency department staff to examine you as soon as possible. Trust your instincts and remember that you know your body better than anyone. When in doubt, check it out”.8

In Heart Attack Symptoms In Women the AHA explain:

“If you have any of these signs, call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital right away.

  1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back
  2. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
  3. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
  4. Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
  5. 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”.9

If you do not live in the United States call your country’s emergency telephone number.

Emergency Telephone Numbers

Can different countries have different emergency telephone numbers?

Different countries can have different emergency telephone numbers. It may therefore be in your best interest to choose to check what your country’s emergency telephone number is because “Minutes Matter!”

Go Red For Women Videos

Where may I find Go Red For Women videos?

You may find these videos at OfficialGoRed4Women.

‘Just A Little Heart Attack’

Where may I find Go Red for Women’s video ‘Just A Little Heart Attack’?

You may find this video at Just A Little Heart Attack.

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Heart Attack Symptoms?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Heart Attack Symptoms?

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Links

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  4. Changing the Way We View Women’s Heart Attack Symptoms [+ Video]
  5. Chest Pain
  6. Common Questions About Heart Attack Symptoms
  7. Diagnosing A Heart Attack
  8. Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women]
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  16. Heart Attack Symptoms: What’s the Difference Between A Cardiac Arrest and A Heart Attack? [+ Video]
  17. Heart Attack Symptoms: What’s the Difference Between Angina and A Heart Attack? [+ Video]
  18. Heart Attack Symptoms: What’s the Difference Between Indigestion and A Heart Attack?
  19. Heart Attack Warning Signs
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  21. Heart Attack and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Differences
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  25. Heart Disease In Women: Understand Symptoms and Risk Factors
  26. Heart Disease: Heart Attack Signs and Symptoms
  27. Heart Health Information In Your Language: Heart Attack Warning Signs Action Plans
  28. Heart Health Information In Your Language: Will You Recognise Your Heart Attack? Fact Sheet
  29. Heartburn or Heart Attack: When To Worry?
  30. Just a Little Heart Attack [Video]
  31. Know the Symptoms
  32. Kylie Defied the Heart Attack Stereotypes
  33. Make the Call. Don’t Miss A Beat [Heart Attack Campaign for Women]
  34. OfficialGoRed4Women [Videos]
  35. Silent Heart Attacks All Too Common, and Often Overlooked
  36. Symptoms of A Heart Attack
  37. Symptoms of A Heart Attack and Stroke In Women
  38. Symptoms of Heart Attack & Stroke In Women
  39. Understand Your Risks To Prevent A Heart Attack
  40. Warning Signs of A Heart Attack
  41. Watch, Learn and Live. Heart Attack [Interactive]
  42. What Is A Heart Attack?
  43. Women and Heart Attacks
  44. Women: Don’t Ignore These 3 Subtle Heart Attack Symptoms
  45. Womenheart.org [Women Heart: The National Coalition for Women With Heart Disease, United States]

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Heart Attack Symptoms In Women: Heart Attack Signs In Women. ‘I thought I had the flu’. Last Reviewed: 31 July 2015. American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack/heart-attack-symptoms-in-women Accessed: 20 June 2021
  2. Warning Signs of A Heart Attack: Catch the Signs Early. Last Reviewed June 2016. American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/WarningSignsofaHeartAttack/Warning-Signs-of-a-Heart-Attack_UCM_002039_Article.jsp Accessed: 20 June 2021
  3. Know the Symptoms. Page Last Updated: 02 March 2018. Office on Women’s Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Womenshealth.gov https://www.womenshealth.gov/heart-attack/know-symptoms Accessed: 20 June 2021
  4. Heart Attack Symptoms: What Are the Symptoms of A Heart Attack? British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/heart-attack/heart-attack-symptoms Accessed: 20 June 2021
  5. Heart Attack Symptoms: What Are the Symptoms of A Heart Attack? British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/heart-attack/heart-attack-symptoms Accessed: 20 June 2021
  6. Heart Attack Symptoms: What Are the Differences In Heart Attack Symptoms for Men and Women? British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/heart-attack/heart-attack-symptoms Accessed: 20 June 2021
  7. Heart Attack Symptoms In Women: Heart Attack Signs In Women. ‘I thought I had the flu’. Last Reviewed: 31 July 2015. American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack/heart-attack-symptoms-in-women Accessed: 20 June 2021
  8. Know the Symptoms. Page Last Updated: 02 March 2018. Office on Women’s Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Womenshealth.gov https://www.womenshealth.gov/heart-attack/know-symptoms Accessed: 20 June 2021
  9. Heart Attack Symptoms In Women. Last Reviewed: 31 July 2015. American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack/heart-attack-symptoms-in-women Accessed: 20 June 2021

Topic Last Updated: 20 June 2021 – Topic Last Reviewed: 20 June 2021
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