A person who is having a heart attack may have any or all of the following signs and symptoms:
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, or squeezing pain in the center of their chest,
- Discomfort or pain spreading beyond the chest to the shoulders, back, neck, jaw, teeth, or one or both arms,
- Shortness of breath,
- Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting,
- Sweating,
- Nausea
A heart attack generally causes chest pain for more than 15 minutes, but it can also have no symptoms at all - especially with women and people with diabetes.
Chest pains are generally not heart related when they are sharp, pinpoint (they can point to a specific area of the pain), and only lasts a few seconds.
If you suspect someone may be having a heart attack:
- Call 911
- Send someone for an automated external defibrillator (AED) to have ready if the person loses consciousness
- Have the person chew and swallow one aspirin if they are not allergic
- If the person has been prescribed nitroglycerin, have them take it as the doctor has ordered. DO NOT give the person any medication that was not prescribed specifically to them
