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Heart attack first aid - Symptom

Alternative Names

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

Symptoms:

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

Symptoms in adults may include:

  • Chest pain
    • Usually in the center of the chest
    • Lasts for 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
  • Cold sweat
  • Lightheadedness
  • Nausea
  • Shortness of breath

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.

  • Reviewed last on: 2/19/2008
  • John E. Duldner, Jr., MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Director of Research, Department of Emergency Medicine, Akron General Medical Center and Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.