Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack

Including Heart Attack Symptoms of Women

Some heart attack signs and symptoms are unexpected and severe ... the classic "movie" heart attack signs. People will take lightly when they see this kind of signs and symptoms. Generally heart attack starts slowly for both men and women, the only signs and symptoms being gentle pain or discomfort. Most of the times men and women having a heart attack they are sure what the signs and symptoms mean and wait too long before getting help. Women with signs and symptoms of a heart attack typically wait longer, often to their detriment.

Classic signs and symptoms of a heart attack

Chest discomfort. For both men and women, the common signs and symptoms of a heart attack usually involve uneasiness in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes, or that goes away and then comes back. The pain can be stabbing or crushing, or feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, a burning pain or fullness.

Feeling uncomfortable in other areas of the upper body. Other type of heart attack signs and symptoms men and women feel include squeezing pain in the chest or left upper arm that radiates to one or both arms, shoulders, the back, jaw or stomach, neck.
Severe shortness of breath or trouble in breathing. This feeling over and over again accompanies chest discomfort. But it can take place before the chest discomfort.

Other type of heart attack signs and symptoms that can occur without chest pain: For no reason u will have cold sweat for no reason, severe indigestion, vomiting, nausea, light-headedness, weakness, dizziness, extreme fatigue, heart palpitations, fainting, heart palpitations (pounding heartbeats), or a sensation of panic with a feeling of impending doom.

Heart Attack Symptoms of Women

Men report symptoms that are different some women report. For women, they usually have chest pain. But, women may also feel any of the other problems described above, shortness of breath or pain to the arm, especially nausea, shoulder or neck.

Key heart attack tests are:

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This is a graphic record of the electrical activity of the heart as it contracts and relaxes. The ECG can detect abnormal heartbeats, some areas of damage, inadequate blood flow, and heart enlargement.
 
Blood test. A blood test will be done routinely to check for enzymes or other substances that are released when cells begin to die. These are "markers" of the amount of damage to your heart.

Nuclear scan. This test shows areas of the heart that lack blood flow and are damaged. It also can reveal problems with the heart’s pumping action. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein, usually in the arm. A scanning camera positioned over the heart records whether the nuclear material is taken up by the heart muscle (healthy areas) or not (damaged areas). The camera also can evaluate how well the heart muscle pumps blood. This test can be done during both rest and exercise, enhancing the usefulness of its results.

Coronary angiography This test is used to check blockages and narrowed areas inside coronary arteries. A fine tube (catheter) is threaded through an artery of an arm or leg up into the heart. A dye that shows up on X ray is then injected into the blood vessel, and the vessels and heart are filmed as the heart pumps. The picture is called an angiogram or arteriogram.

Additional articles about Heart disease and Medications

About the author

Richard Draper is presently working on the site Heart Attack Signs He has written many articles in various topics. For more information about Testing for a Heart Attack.Visit our site Cancer information.

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