Key Warning Signs You May Be Having a Heart Attack

Heart attack, the number one killer of people in America! A staggering 1.2 million people suffer heart attacks each year and only 950,000 of those go to the hospital. Why is it that not all of the 1.2 million go to the hospital? One reason is they are not aware they are having a heart attack. This is why knowing heart attack symptoms is so important.

Before knowing the heart attack symptoms it is important to know what happens during a heart attack. The heart muscle needs a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood to nourish it. The coronary arteries provide the heart with this constant supply of blood. If you suffer from coronary artery disease those arteries become narrow and the blood cannot flow as well as it should. Calcium, proteins, fatty matter, and inflammatory cells build up in the arteries to form plaque.

When this plaque's hard, outer shell cracks, platelets come to the area, and a blood clot forms around the plaque. This blood clot could totally block the artery and if this happens then the heart muscles will become "starved" of oxygen. Within a very short time heart muscles will begin to die and this causes a heart attack.

Here are the six main symptoms of a heart attack that should be recognized:

1. Any discomfort, heaviness, pressure, or pain in the chest, arm or below the breastbone.

2. Any sudden discomfort that moves through the back, throat, jaw, or arm.

3. Any fullness, indigestion or choking feeling that may feel like a heartburn.

4. Any sudden sweating, vomiting, nausea, or dizziness.

5. Extreme weakness, shortness of breath or anxiety.

6. Rapid or irregular heartbeats is the last key symptom.

There are other less common warning signs that include: stomach or abdominal pain, unexplained anxiety or fatigue, palpitations or cold sweats, and difficulty breathing. It is important to keep in mind that these symptoms will not always occur in every heart attack and that some symptoms might also come and go. During a heart attack, the symptoms above will last 30 minutes or longer and are not relieved by rest or medications taken by the mouth. Some people suffer from a "silent" myocardial infarction. Anyone can suffer from a silent MI but it is more common among those with diabetes.

If you suffer any of the above symptoms it is important that you call 911. The best time for a heart attack to be treated is within one to two hours of the first symptoms. You will have to take either and ECG, blood tests, Echocardiography, or a Cardiac catherization to see if you are actually having a heart attack.

Heart attacks are the number one killer in America. An amazing 1.2 million people die of this each year. You need to understand the key symptoms of a heart attack or you could become another death to this massive health killer.