Warning Signs of a Heart Attack You Should Never Ignore
In a heart attack, minutes decide how much heart muscle survives. Recognising the signs early is the single most useful thing you can do.
The common signs
- Chest pain, pressure, heaviness or tightness — often central, lasting more than a few minutes
- Pain spreading to the left arm, both arms, jaw, neck or back
- Breathlessness, with or without chest discomfort
- Cold sweat, nausea or vomiting
- Sudden severe fatigue or light-headedness
Why it can look different
Women, older adults and people with diabetes more often have symptoms without severe chest pain — unusual tiredness, breathlessness, indigestion-like discomfort or jaw pain. Nerve damage from long-standing diabetes can blunt pain altogether, so a heart attack may present as sudden breathlessness or collapse.
What to do
Call for emergency help immediately and get to a hospital with cardiac facilities — do not drive yourself. Chew an aspirin if you are not allergic and it is available. Do not wait to see whether it passes; the treatments that save heart muscle work best in the first hour.
This article is general information, not medical advice. For guidance specific to you, please book a consultation.
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