Heart Attack Symptoms

Classic symptoms of a heart attack may include:

• chest pain associated with shortness of breath,
  
  
• profuse sweating, and
  
  
• nausea.

The chest pain may be described as tightness, fullness, a pressure, or an ache.

Unfortunately, many people do not have these classic signs. Other presentations of heart attack may include:

• indigestion,
  
  
• jaw ache,
  
  
• pain only in the shoulders or arms,
  
  
• shortness of breath, or
  
  
• nausea and vomiting.

This list is not complete, since many times people can experience a heart attack with minimal symptoms. In women and the elderly, heart attack symptoms can be atypical and sometimes so vague as to be easily missed. The only complaint may be extreme weakness or fatigue.

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Heart attack - Symptoms at Onset of Disease

The eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:

The symptoms of heart attack can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease?

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