Believe it or not, as seen on Natural On, cancer is not the number one death cause in America, but the first place goes to heart disease which is responsible for 40 percent of all US deaths. Heart disease is so deadly because of several reasons. One major contributing factor is that people do not look for help on time, usually because they fail to recognize the symptoms. Of course, strong chest pain will certainly be a sign to call 911; however, heart attacks do not always come with such straightforward symptoms.
Since timely treatment is crucial to increase your chances of recovery, it is never a bad idea to learn about the major heart attack red flags and seek immediate medical attention if you happen to notice any of them. Check out the 6 main ones below.
6 Symptoms of Heart Attack
- Ache and discomfort in the chest
Heart-related chest ache is often felt under the breastbone and one may feel as if their chest is being pressured whereas others will only experience a mild pain. In women, a burning sensation in the chest is more common during a heart attack. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, people think that they are having heartburn when they are actually experiencing a heart attack.
- Nausea
Feeling nauseous or vomiting is a common occurrence before heart attacks, especially in those who have a swollen abdomen caused by accumulated fluid. Appetite loss may also happen.
- Shortness of breath
If you have been struggling with a sudden shortness of breath, i.e. if you are gasping for breath with no or minimal exertion, one potential cause is a pending heart attack.
- Tiredness
This symptom, especially in women, may happen in the weeks, days, or moments prior to a heart attack. You may feel too fatigued all the time and you may generally feel unwell, even after rest.
- Pain in other body areas
For a lot of people who have experienced a heart attack, the pain usually starts in the chest, but it further spreads to the arms, elbows, shoulders, jaw, back, neck, and even the abdominal area. In some cases, one may not feel any chest ache at all, only pain in some of these parts. Another common pain is the one between the shoulder blades or in both arms. The pain tends to come and go.
- Coughing
Coughing up bloody phlegm may happen in people having a heart failure whereas others may experience a nagging and wheezing coughing which is caused by the deposits of fluids in the lungs.
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