Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart muscle is interrupted. The most prominent sign of a heart attack is chest pain that may or may not radiate to the arm. However, only half of people having a heart attack will experience chest pain. Being aware of the less common warning signs can help save your life or the life of one you love.
Abdominal Pain
Instead of feeling pain or discomfort in the chest, you may feel pain in the upper part of the abdomen. This abdominal pain may feel like heartburn or indigestion. Women are especially like to report abdominal pain rather than classic chest pain.
Unexplained Anxiety
Those having a heart attack may have a feeling of extreme anxiety for no apparent reason. They may also feel a fear of impending death, a phenomenon known as angor animi. Anxiety can be a sign of many things, but if it is accompanied by weakness, cold sweats or nausea be sure to seek medical advice to rule out a heart attack.
Weakness or Fatigue
One of the first signs of a heart attack can be extreme fatigue occurring after physical activity. Women especially may feel weak and tired for weeks before the actual heart attack. The heart attack episode may also trigger fainting.
Palpitations
Heart attack patients often say they felt heart palpitations before and during the attack. Heart palpitations may be felt as an irregular heartbeat, an uneasiness in the chest, a flip-flopping feeling in the chest or even feeling like your heart stopped. Feeling heart palpitations is often accompanied by a feeling of weakness and even fainting.
Cold Sweats
Sweating while exercising is normal, but sweating while the body is cold (called cold sweats) can be a sign of a problem. Patients having a heart attack may experience cold sweats along with their feelings of weakness or dizziness.
Paleness
During a heart attack the oxygen-rich blood is not able to get to the heart and then be distributed throughout the body. Because the blood supply is blocked, the cells of the heart muscle begin to die and the patient's skin may appear pale due to the lack of blood flow.
