Heart attack warning signals

Heart attack
Heart attack and women
Cardiac arrest
Heart attack myths

Thousands of Canadians die from heart attacks every year because they dont get medical treatment quickly enough. Learn to recognize the signals of a heart attack, so you can react quickly to save a life.

Pain
  • sudden discomfort or pain that does not go away with rest
  • pain that may be in the chest, neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back
  • pain that may feel like burning, squeezing, heaviness, tightness or pressure
  • in women, pain may be more vague
  • chest pain or discomfort that is brought on with exertion and goes away with rest
shortness of breath
  • difficulty breathing
Nausea
  • indigestion
  • vomiting
Sweating
  • cool, clammy skin
Fear
  • anxiety
  • denial

If you are experiencing any of these signals, you should:

  • CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency number immediately, or have someone call for you. Keep a list of emergency numbers near the phone at all times.
  • Stop all activity and sit or lie down, in whatever position is most comfortable.
  • If you take nitroglycerin, take your normal dosage.
  • If you are experiencing chest pain, chew and swallow one adult 325 mg ASA tablet (acetylsalicylic acid, commonly referred to as Aspirin) or two 80 mg tablets. Pain medicines such as acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) or ibuprofen (e.g. Advil) do not work the same way as ASA (i.e. Aspirin) and therefore will not help in the emergency situation described above.
  • Rest comfortably and wait for emergency medical services (EMS) (e.g., ambulance) to arrive.

QUICK ACTION SAVES LIVES

Are the warning signals of heart attack the same for women?

In the past, it was believed that women had different warning signals than men. This may not be the case. Both women and men may experience typical or non-typical symptoms such as nausea, sweating, pain in the arm, throat, jaw or pain that is unusual. However, women may describe their pain differently than men. Nevertheless, the most common symptom in women is still chest pain.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. Women tend to be safeguarded from heart disease prior to menopause because of the protective effect of estrogen, but not always. For example, pre-menopausal women with diabetes have similar risk to men of the same age because diabetes cancels out the protective effect that estrogen provides to pre-menopausal women.

Cardiac arrest

Heart attacks may sometimes lead to cardiac arrest. This is a condition in which a person stops breathing and has no heartbeat.

Calling 9-1-1 or your local emergency number immediately brings emergency medical services to the scene.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) a skill that involves pushing hard and fast on the chest and giving rescue breaths has the power to restore blood flow in those suffering cardiac arrest, keeping them alive until an ambulance arrives on the scene. CPR, combined with the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) a machine that is used to correct an irregular heart rhythm can improve survival from cardiac arrest.

A cardiac arrest can have a variety of causes heart attack, drowning, stroke, electrocution, suffocation, drug overdose, motor vehicle accident or other trauma. If you find an adult, child or infant who is not breathing, you must act quickly. Protect your loved ones learn what to do in an emergency situation. By knowing how to respond to a cardiac arrest, a persons odds of survival and recovery may increase by 30 percent or more.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation is working diligently to make sure more people are capable of performing CPR. The Foundation is a leader in setting the standards for CPR techniques and instruction. To find out about courses in your area, simply call your local Heart and Stroke Foundation office or 1-888-HSF-INFO (1-888-473-4636).

Learn more about Emergency Care/CPR

Heart attack myths

Chain e-mail on How to survive a heart attack when alone (Cough CPR)

The Heart and Stroke Foundation continues to advise Canadians against circulating an e-mail often entitled How to Survive a Heart Attack When Alone.

The e-mail is being circulated with the advice to send it to everyone you know and recommends that people who think they are having a heart attack should cough long, deeply and frequently. It claims that this will improve blood circulation to the heart keeping you alive until emergency services arrive.

What you should do
So what should you do if you are alone and think you having a heart attack?

  • The Heart and Stroke Foundation encourages Canadians to learn the warning signals of heart attack, and
  • Immediately call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number for help. It's a good idea to keep a list of emergency numbers near the phone at all times.

Stroke warning signs