In an emergency, seconds count. If you have any of the heart attack symptoms listed below or see anyone having them, call 911 immediately.

A heart attack or myocardial infarction occurs when the blood supply to the heart is slowed down or cut off, limiting the flow of oxygen. Heart attacks do not always begin with a crushing chest pain. They often begin slowly with mild pain or discomfort. Depending on your age, gender, and medical health (for example, if you are diabetic), symptoms may be milder or consist of signs other than chest pain. They might not be recognized as symptoms of a heart attack, but they need attention.

WARNING SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK

• Chest discomfort that feels like pressure, fullness, or a squeezing pain in the center of your chest. It lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
• Pain and discomfort that extends beyond your chest to other parts of your upper body, such as one or both arms, back, neck, stomach, teeth, and jaw.
• Unexplained shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.
• Other symptoms, such as cold sweats, nausea or vomiting, lightheadedness, anxiety, indigestion, and unexplained fatigue. Women are more likely than men to experience other symptoms, too. These include shortness of breath and/or pain in the neck, shoulder, upper back, or abdomen.

Many people delay treatment because they aren’t sure they are having a heart attack. Check it out even if you are not sure that it is a heart attack. Remember, seconds matter.
Emergency services personnel can transport you to the hospital quickly and even administer treatment to you on the way, if needed. They can call ahead to the Emergency Department so that an expert team is waiting to care for you. Statistics show that patients brought to the hospital by ambulance have a better chance of surviving a heart attack or stroke.

Cardiologists at Lahey Cardiology at The Medical Center use advanced technology to diagnose heart problems and to treat conditions using cardiac catheterizations, angioplasty, and electrophysiology. For procedures such as open heart surgery, you can be easily transferred to our partner Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA, one of the nation’s top cardiovascular centers.