Heart Attack: signs & symptoms and what to do

In the UK, heart attacks are the leading cause of death for men and women in most racial and ethnic groups. A heart attack is a life-threatening emergency that suddenly blocks blood flow to the heart. Heart attacks account for more than 80,000 hospital admissions in England each year.

Signs & symptoms of a heart attack

Symptoms of a heart attack can include;

• Chest pain – a feeling of pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across your chest
• Pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is spreading from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm, but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back and tummy
• Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• Sweating
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
• An overwhelming feeling of anxiety (similar to a panic attack)
• Coughing or wheezing

For more information on the signs and symptoms, please visit here

What to do

If you are experiencing common early heart attack symptoms or suspect someone is having a heart attack, dial 999 immediately. The new NHS campaign, which runs from February 14 to March 31, encourages people to call 999 if they notice common early signs such as sweating, uneasiness & chest tightness.

If the individual having a heart attack is not allergic to aspirin, chewing and then swallowing a tablet of aspirin (preferably 300mg) may help while waiting for an ambulance.