Overview
A heart attack happens when a blood vessel supplying the heart muscle suddenly blocks, starving part of the heart of oxygen. The classic warning is crushing chest pain or pressure that may spread to the arm, jaw or back. Every minute counts — emergency hospital treatment can save the heart muscle and the life.
Symptoms
- Crushing chest pain, pressure or tightness
- Pain spreading to the left arm, jaw, neck or back
- Profuse sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Light-headedness or collapse
- Unusual fatigue (sometimes the main sign in women and diabetics)
Causes & risk factors
- Blocked coronary artery from cholesterol plaque and clot
- Hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol
- Smoking
- Obesity, inactivity and family history
Treatment & self-care
A suspected heart attack is a 911-style emergency: get to the nearest capable hospital immediately — do not drive yourself if avoidable, and do not wait to see if it passes. Hospitals treat with clot-dissolving or artery-opening procedures plus protective heart medicines. Recovery includes daily preventive tablets, cardiac rehabilitation and aggressive control of BP, sugar and cholesterol.
See a doctor urgently if
- Chest pain or pressure lasting more than a few minutes — go now
- Chest pain with sweating, breathlessness or nausea
- Pain spreading to arm, jaw or back
- Fainting or collapse
This condition can be an emergency. If any of the signs above are severe or getting worse, go to the nearest emergency room now or call 112 or 199 — do not wait for an online consultation.