Heart Attack Warning Signs

Signs of a Heart Attack

The most common symptom of a heart attack in men and women is chest pain (angina) or discomfort. The pain may feel like tightness, squeezing, aching or pressure.

Other pain may accompany the chest pain, including pain that radiates to other areas of the body, including the shoulder, back, arm, jaw, neck, teeth or upper abdomen. In some people, chest pain can occur for hours, days, or weeks before a heart attack occurs.

Additional signs and symptoms of a heart attack can vary from person to person and may include one or more of the following:

• Cold sweats
• Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
• Fatigue
• Heartburn
• Indigestion
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath

Do Heart Attack Symptoms Differ In Women?

Women are more likely than men to have heart attack symptoms that may not include chest pain. The signs may not be obvious and might be confusing. Symptoms beyond chest pain in women may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Nausea/vomiting
• Pain or discomfort in the arms (one or both), back, neck, jaw, and/or stomach
• Lightheadedness
• Cold sweats

Heart Attack Risk Factors

The risk of a heart attack increases with age. Men over the age of 45 and women over the age of 55 have a higher risk of a heart attack. A family history of heart attacks, especially at a young age can increase your risk. Other factors that can increase your risk include:

• Diabetes, especially high blood sugar levels
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High cholesterol
• Smoking and use of tobacco products
• High levels of stress in your daily life
• Lack of physical activity/sedentary lifestyle
• Obesity
• Drug use including cocaine and amphetamines
• Alcohol abuse
• Metabolic syndrome.
• Preeclampsia during pregnancy
• Autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Unhealthy diet - high in animal fats, sugar, salt, saturated fats and processed foods

Heart Attack Prevention

You can take steps and embrace healthy behaviors to help reduce your chances of having a heart attack. These include:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Exercise and get regular physical activity
• See your doctor on a regular basis
• Do not use drugs
• Don’t smoke or use tobacco products
• Reduce alcohol intake
• Manage other health conditions including hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes
• Eat a low fat, heart-healthy diet
• Reduce stress in your everyday life

When to Seek Emergency Help

If you think you or someone you are with might be having a heart attack, call 911 immediately. Do not ignore the symptoms and delay in calling for help. Do not drive yourself to the hospital.

Emergency medical technicians are trained to handle these situations and can assess and immediately begin treatment if needed, including administering medications, performing CPR or shocking the heart if necessary. Saving the heart muscle and alleviating a more serious health condition is more likely when someone is stabilized quickly.

Find Care at Catholic Health

All Catholic Health hospitals have 24-hour, seven-days-a-week Emergency Departments that can treat patients suffering from a heart attack.

Catholic Health is also home to St. Francis Heart Center, Long Island’s most-awarded heart program. Cardiac patients have access to the highest level of care to treat a heart attack. Learn more about our cardiology services.

Catholic Health Chest Pain Centers  provide prompt, highly skilled assessments and treatment of acute chest pain in a matter of minutes. They are located at:

• Francis Hospital in Roslyn
• Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown
• Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip

Call 866-MY-LI-DOC (866-695-4362) to find a Catholic Health physician near you.