A heart attack is a serious medical emergency that occurs when blood supply to the heart is blocked. Also known as a myocardial infarction, the most common cause of this is a blood clot.
If not treated quickly a heart attack can prove fatal. Therefore, it is important to be aware of any of the tell-tale signs.
Some of the symptoms are fairly well known, such as chest pain and pain going down one arm. However, others are less so and could even be mistaken for something else.
With this in mind a doctor took to social media to share signs of a heart attack you “cannot miss”. On TikTok, Doctor Azmain Chowdhury revealed the five most important symptoms to look for.
Speaking to his more than 84,000 followers, he said: “Five signs of the heart attack that you absolutely cannot miss.
“I’m Dr Azmain and the last one is incredibly important.”
The signs include:
- Crushing chest pain
- Pain spreading elsewhere
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling weak, faint, sweaty or clammy
- Unspecific symptoms like nausea, vomiting or tiredness.
Dr Azmain explained: “One, central crushing chest pain. Sometimes described like an elephant standing on your chest.
“Two, pain spreading elsewhere, like your arm, jaw, neck, shoulder or back.
“Three, shortness of breath. Four feeling weak, faint, sweaty or clammy.
“And you must not forget number five.
“Unspecific symptoms like nausea, vomiting or tiredness.
“These are more common in women, older people and those with diabetes. They may not have any of the obvious signs.”
In the video description he shared what to do if anyone experiences these signs.
“If you think you or somebody you’re with is having a heart attack, don’t be tempted to dismiss the signs or wait to see what happens,” he said.
“It’s never too early to call 999 and describe your symptoms, it might just save your life.”
The NHS lists the following as symptoms of a heart attack:
- Chest pain – a feeling of pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across your chest
- Pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is spreading from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm, but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back and tummy
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- An overwhelming feeling of anxiety (similar to a panic attack)
- Coughing or wheezing.
The health body adds: “The chest pain is often severe, but some people may only experience minor pain, similar to indigestion.
“While the most common symptom is chest pain, symptoms can vary from person to person.
“Some people may have other symptoms such as shortness of breath, feeling or being sick and back or jaw pain without any chest pain.
“Call 999 immediately if you think someone might be having a heart attack. The faster you act, the better their chances.”