Preliminary Heart Attack Symptoms

Heart attacks are one of the deadliest conditions for people in the United States. Also known as myocardial infarction, each year roughly 40,000 people die from heart attacks according to the American Heart Association. A heart attack is caused by an interruption in blood supply to the heart. Preliminary symptoms are identifiable by a number of conditions.

Features

• Heart attacks can come in a fast and intense manner. However, some heart attacks are slow and only feature mild pain. Many people wait too long to treat the preliminary symptoms of heart attacks and thereby increase their risk of death.

Identification

• The most common preliminary symptom is discomfort in a variety of places in the body. If a person is suffering from chest or arm pains, either in waves or consistent, there is a good chance that the person is having a heart attack.

Effects

• A heart attack usually causes a variety of secondary symptoms that can help determine if a person needs medical help. Shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea and lightheadedness are prevalent in the early stages of heart attacks.

Considerations

• Women suffer from the preliminary symptoms of heart attacks much more frequently than men according to the American Heart Association. This can include additional problems such as vomiting and jaw pain.

Warning

• If a person is feeling any of the identifiable factors of a heart attack, it's important that he seeks immediate medical attention. An individual suffering a heart attack can have only minutes to live, so calling 9-1-1 is the best option.