There are few feelings more nerve-wracking than the thought that you might be having a heart attack. If you are just going about your normal day-to-day life when you suddenly feel as if something is wrong with your heart, you could easily panic in that moment. Of course, it will do you no good to panic, so the better plan is to be armed with the information you need to make a smart decision. If heart attack symptoms come on and you recognize them right away, you can call for emergency help. In this blog post, we are going to cover some of the common signs of a heart attack.
Tightness in the Chest
This is what many people would consider to be the ‘classic’ sign of a heart attack. When an individual feels tightness in the chest, there is a real possibility that it is being caused by a heart attack. While it’s possible for chest tightness to be caused by some other condition or injury, it’s best to play it safe in this situation. That means it is best to seek emergency medical attention when you experience chest tightness or pressure, even if it doesn’t turn out to be a heart attack in the end.
While it’s natural to think about pain or tightness in the chest as a sign of a heart attack, since that’s where your heart is located, it’s possible to have symptoms elsewhere. Specifically, you may feel the pain in your arms, and it might also spread out to your back, your neck, and even your jaw.
Shortness of Breath
It should be concerning if you can’t seem to catch your breath despite the fact that you aren’t exerting yourself particularly hard at the time. Or, if you are exerting during exercise, if you are having more trouble breathing that you would normally. You might notice that you are short of breath at the same time you feel some pain or tightness in your chest, or you may not have any chest discomfort at this point. Whatever the case, this is another situation where you want to play things on the safe side. There needs to be some explanation for why you are suddenly out of breath, and one possible explanation is a heart attack. Seek help to determine what is going on and get the treatment you need ASAP.
Breaking Out in a Sweat
Again, this is a case of something happening that wouldn’t happen otherwise, when you are in good health. Just like with shortness of breath, you wouldn’t typically find yourself breaking into a sweat without an explanation, so this symptom should get your attention. If you find yourself suddenly sweating for no obvious reason, it’s possible that a heart attack is to blame – especially if the sudden sweat comes along with some of the other symptoms associated with a heart attack.
Feeling Weak or Light-Headed
When you have a heart attack, it’s possible that you will start to feel weaker than normal, and you might have a light-headed feeling or the feeling that you may faint. Don’t dismiss these symptoms as just no big deal – something that will go away on its own. You might be feeling faint for another reason, or it may be a sign of a very serious medical condition in progress. As with all heart attack symptoms, it’s smart to err on the side of caution. You simply don’t want to ignore the signs of a heart attack only to find yourself without medical help when you need it most.
Getting Help
Finally, we need to point out that it’s smart to call 911 (or another emergency number in your area) to get help for your condition right away. If you are having a heart attack, it’s important to have treatment begin as soon as possible – not after you have been driven to the hospital by someone else. You won’t be receiving medical treatment during a private car ride, but you will get attention from the first responders as soon as they arrive, and throughout the ambulance ride to the hospital. When the signs of a possible heart attack present, don’t be too prideful to call for help – call the appropriate emergency line and have aid come to you.
No one wants to get into a position where they are experiencing heart attack symptoms. However, the reality is that some people will wind up having heart attacks, and time is of the essence when one occurs. By knowing the signs of a heart attack in advance, you can act quickly and make good decisions when the moment arrives. As always, the best course of action in this type of situation is to seek emergency assistance by calling 911. Outside of an active heart attack, you can feel free to contact Beverly Hills Cardiovascular in order to schedule a variety of heart health-related services, such as carotid ultrasound, echocardiography, nuclear stress test, and CT coronary angiogram. Thank you for stopping by our blog, and we can’t wait to serve you!
