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# Heart Attack Awareness

It’s easy to delay action when a heart attack occurs for this simple reason: You may not think it’s a heart attack. Sudden, dramatic “Hollywood” heart attacks do occur. But a heart attack may also begin with mild pain or pressure in the chest.

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Unfortunately, any delay in taking action can mean greater damage to the heart muscle. For the best odds of saving the heart muscle, a heart attack victim must get to the emergency room immediately, where doctors will try to reopen the blocked artery within 90 minutes of arrival at the hospital. This critical window of time is referred to as door-to-balloon time, because it measures the time from entering through the hospital doors until blood flow is restored to the heart through use of an angioplasty balloon.

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Get to know the heart attack warning signs. Whether you are a woman or a man who wants to be better prepared to take care of the women in your life, get familiar with these symptoms of heart attack that are more common for (but not exclusive) to women. Remember, heart attack symptoms for women can often be subtle and difficult to identify as a heart attack.

# Heart Attack Warning Signs

Many heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like:

However, NOT ALL HEART ATTACKS ARE PRECEDED BY CHEST PAIN.

Heart attack symptoms include -

- Chest discomfort

- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body: one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach

- Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort

- Pounding heart or changes in heart rhythm

- Heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain

- Breaking out in a cold sweat

- Dizziness or lightheadedness

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms call 911 immediately. Our dispatchers will be able to assist you in the next steps as you await the arrival of paramedics.

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