Warning signs of heart attack

What are the signs of a heart attack? Many people think a heart attack is sudden and intense, like a "movie" heart attack, where a person clutches his or her chest and falls over.

The truth is that many heart attacks start slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort in the chest. If this happens to you, you may not be sure what's wrong. Sometimes symptoms come and go. Even those who have had previous heart attacks may not recognize the symptoms, because each attack can be very different.

It's vital that everyone learn the warning signs of a heart attack. The pain of a heart attack can feel like bad heartburn. You may also be having a heart attack if you:

Feel a pressure or crushing pain in your chest, sometimes accompanied by sweating, nausea or vomiting.
Feel pain that extends from your chest into the jaw, left arm or left shoulder.
Feel tightness in your chest.
Have shortness of breath for more than a couple of seconds.

If you're a woman, you may think these don't apply to you, but they do. As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain. Learn more about women and heart attack.

Don't ignore the pain or discomfort. If you think you are having heart problems or a heart attack, get help immediately. The sooner you get treatment, the greater the chance that the doctors can prevent further damage to the heart muscle. Other ways you might first feel a heart attack coming on might include:

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 light-headedness.

Learn the signs of a heart attack, but also remember: Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, you should still have it checked out. Fast action can save lives-maybe your own.