Heart attack first aid

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Heart attack symptoms

Symptoms of heart attack

First aid - heart attack; First aid - cardiopulmonary arrest; First aid - cardiac arrest

Heart attacks can cause a wide range of symptoms, from mild to intense. Women, the elderly, and persons with diabetes are more likely to have subtle or atypical symptoms.

Symptoms in adults may include:

• Chest pain  
  • Usually in the center of chest
  • Lasts for a more than a few minutes or comes and goes
  • May feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness
  • Pain may be felt in other areas of the upper body, such as the jaw, shoulder, one or both arms, back, and stomach area
• Shortness of breath
• Cold sweat
• Nausea
• Lightheadedness

Women are more likely than men to have symptoms of nausea, vomiting, back or jaw pain, and shortness of breath with chest pain.

Babies and children may appear limp and unresponsive and may have bluish-colored skin.

Review Date: 06/08/2006
Reviewed By: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.