Symptoms of a Heart Attack

• Chest discomfort.  Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.  The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body.  Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
• Shortness of breath.  Often comes along with chest discomfort.  But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
• Other symptoms.  May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

Women may have some or none of the commonly recognized symptoms of a heart attack.  Instead women may experience the following:

• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Pain in the right back, shoulder, arm, throat and neck
• Profuse sweating
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Indigestion or stomach pain
• Extreme anxiety
• Dizziness/lightheadedness
• Even blackouts

Signs of a Stroke

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arms or legs.
• Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding others.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

If you think you or someone else may be having a heart attack, don't delay, call 911.  Do not drive yourself or let a friend drive you.  You may need medical help on the way to the hospital.  Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers are trained to treat you on the way to the emergency room.