Heart Attack Early Warning Signs

The average heart attack sufferer gets to the hospital almost five hours after the onset of symptoms. This delay significantly increases their chances of dying. That's why it's so important to know the early warning signs of a heart attack and what to do if you experience them. Being educated could save your life.

Common Early Warning Signs

Knowing these common warning signs of a heart attack could help save your life:

Chest pressure, tightness, and heaviness
Pain in shoulders, neck, jaw, or arms
Lightheadedness
Fainting
Paleness
Sweating
Nausea
Shortness of breath with or without chest pain

Take Action

If you experience any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. Then, chew or crush and swallow an aspirin as directed by a doctor. Taking aspirin immediately at the onset of heart attack symptoms may prevent the formation of additional small blood clots blocking blood flow through clogged arteries. If that happens, heart muscle damage may be prevented or delayed, which can buy you time to get to the hospital.

Never make excuses for heart attack symptoms or shrug them off as simply "indigestion." Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, don't hesitate to get help. The actions you take within the first hours after a heart attack could save your life so never feel like you're creating a false alarm.

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