A heart attack, known medically as myocardial infarction, refers to when the blood supply to the heart is significantly reduced or ceases altogether. It’s an extremely serious event that requires urgent medical treatment, which is why developing habits to reduce the risk of heart attack is so essential for everybody.

Often, medications or surgeries are necessary to resolve a heart attack, but they are not always effective at saving a person’s life. The effectiveness of these treatments depends on the severity of the heart attack, how quickly it’s identified through cardiac imaging (which you can learn more about here) and blood tests, and how quickly it’s treated.

Being able to identify the warning signs of a heart attack is crucial in enabling you to take immediate action if you ever experience one. Heart attacks can happen acutely (suddenly), but most of the time, they are preceded by a number of symptoms.

Below, we’ve covered the most common warning signs of a heart attack so you can identify them quickly and get medical attention as soon as possible.

Chest Pain

Chest pain is the most common symptom of myocardial infarction. Usually, heart attack pain begins in the center of the chest and may radiate toward the back and shoulders or down one arm.

Crushing chest pain can last several minutes before dissipating and returning shortly after. For others, this pain might never fully go away and continue until they get treatment. It often feels like somebody is pressing on the chest, causing pressure, fullness, and pain.

Shortness of Breath

Another key sign of a heart attack is shortness of breath. This often occurs alongside chest pain, but not always.

Shortness of breath is a common symptom of many chronic medical health issues, so it can be hard to distinguish between breathlessness caused by a heart attack or other health problems. For this reason, you will need to look out for the other common signs of myocardial infarction.

Remember, it’s always best to call 911 (or 999 if you’re in the United Kingdom; 112 if you’re in the European Union) if you’re unsure. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Fatigue

Feeling tired and drained is a sign of many health conditions, including a heart attack. If you feel constantly tired for several days and can’t seem to get enough rest despite sleeping well at night, it’s something to pay close attention to.

Myocardial infarction can cause fatigue due to decreased blood flow to the heart, meaning it has to work harder to pump blood (and oxygen) to the rest of the body. The majority of women experience fatigue before a heart attack, but it can also impact men.

Abdominal Pain and Nausea

Abdominal pain affects one in two people who have a heart attack, including men and women. It can manifest as nausea and a feeling of fullness in the stomach, and it’s caused by reduced oxygen supply to the gastrointestinal tract. Acid reflux (heartburn) is also common a heart attack symptom.

Light Headedness

You might feel lightheaded or dizzy for several days leading up to a heart attack and during the attack itself. If this is accompanied by chest pain and shortness of breath, you must call emergency medical services immediately.