Signs of a Heart Attack: Know Before It's Too Late

Heart attack (myocardial infarction) kills over 9 million people annually and remains the world's leading cause of death. Every minute of delay in treatment results in approximately 2 million cardiac cells lost. Recognizing the symptoms and acting fast is literally life-saving.

Classic symptoms include: chest pressure, tightness, or squeezing that may radiate to the left arm, jaw, neck, or back; shortness of breath; sweating; nausea or vomiting; lightheadedness; and a sense of impending doom. Symptoms may last more than 15 minutes or come and go.

Atypical presentations are common, especially in women, diabetics, and the elderly: unusual fatigue in the days before the attack, upper abdominal pain, jaw or neck pain without chest pain, nausea as the primary symptom, or simply feeling unwell. Women are more likely to have atypical presentations, leading to delayed diagnosis.

If you suspect a heart attack: call emergency services immediately (do not drive yourself), chew 300 mg aspirin if not allergic, remain calm and rest, and loosen tight clothing. Time to treatment is the single most important factor — for every 30-minute delay, mortality increases by approximately 7.5%.

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