If you think you’re having a heart attack, you’ll certainly want to be aware of the symptoms that would indicate that this is the case. Here, we explain more about Myocardial Infarction, otherwise known as a heart attack.
Symptoms of heart attack can include:
* Chest pain or pressure (a feeling of heaviness or “an elephant sitting on my chest”) that lasts for more than a few minutes and does not go away with rest. This is the most common symptom and must not be ignored. People who experience this symptom need to seek immediate emergency medical attention. Experiencing chest pain does not always
indicate that a person is having a heart attack but this is a symptom that needs to be fully evaluated.
* Pain that spreads (or radiates) to the back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or arms.
* Chest pain along with feeling dizzy, faint, clammy, nauseated, or short of breath.
Some women who have experienced a heart attack can complain of “atypical” symptoms such as difficulty breathing or “flu-like” symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, clammy or sweaty skin, aching or indigestion, in addition to, or instead of, the other more typical heart attack symptoms, such as chest pain and pressure. Research has also shown that women can often receive different treatment for their heart disease. Women are less likely than men to get full diagnostic work-ups for chest pain, and are more likely than men to die from a first heart attack. There may be a misperception on the part of women and/or their health care providers that heart disease is something only men get. This sometimes leads women and
their doctors to skip screenings and ignore symptoms.
If you feel any of these symptoms, it’s important not to ignore your feelings. Seek the medical attention that you need in the emergency room immediately and get the help that you deserve quickly.