Pay close attention to your symptoms. People who have had a heart attack describe the pain as discomfort, chest tightness, a squeezing sensation, burning or an uncomfortable pressure or heaviness in the middle of the chest. This chest pain is called "Angina."


The pain may come and go. It typically starts out mild, gradually intensifies and peaks within the next few minutes.
Pain does not worsen when applying pressure to the chest or when taking deep breaths, if it is the result of a heart attack.
Typically this chest pain is brought on by exertion, any type of exercise or yard work, even a heavy meal in your blood as your blood flows and is moved towards your gastrointestinal tract. If the symptoms occur at rest, it is termed “Unstable Angina, and poses a greater risk of a lethal heart attack.Women and diabetics are more likely to experience atypical angina.;
, There are several reasons you could be having chest pain. The most common are indigestion, panic attacks, a pulled muscle, and heart attacks.If you have just eaten a rich meal or have just done a hard chest workout, you probably are having the symptoms due to reasons other than a heart attack.
If you can't think of another reason for the symptoms, then assume you are having a heart attack and seek out help as soon as possible.
 During a heart attack, most people will have chest pain along with at least one other symptom. You often experience shortness of breath, dizziness or palpitations, sweating, or you may feel sick to your stomach and vomit.


Common heart attack symptoms include feeling a choking sensation or a lump in the throat, heartburn, indigestion, or the need to swallow repeatedly.
A person having a heart attack may perspire and become chilled at the same time. She or he may have periods of cold sweats.
Heart attack victims may feel numbness in either arm, hand or both.
Some people experience a rapid and irregular heartbeat, heart palpitations, or shortness of breath.
Look for atypical symptoms. For instance, although uncommon, the patient may feel a sharp or dull pain or ache in the middle of the chest.
 Disease of the coronary arteries, coronary plaques, and atheromas are more complex conditions than CAD but they can result in the same blockage of the arteries to the heart. For instance, coronary “plaques” are a layer of cholesterol in the lining in the artery that creates small tears where at different times the plaque has started to tear away from the artery wall. Blood clots have formed at the site of tiny tears on the inside lining of the artery and the body has responded to this with more inflammation.Since this progression of the plaque can occur slowly over time patients may experience periods of chest pain or discomfort and ignore it. Or specifically only experience it when they are under increased cardiac stress.
The patient may consequently not seek any medical treatment until the plaque has gotten so big as to stop blood flow significantly even when the person is at rest, when cardiac demand is low.
Or worse, when the plaque breaks off and blocks flow altogether, causing a heart attack. This can happen anytime, and for many this is the first sign that they are having a heart attack.
 When you seek evaluation for your symptoms, most specifically chest pain, the next most important factor or perhaps equally important, is your “risk factor profile." We have so much data and evidence regarding CAD that we know it occurs more often in certain populations. Cardiovascular Risk Factors (CVRF) include: being male, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, obesity (BMI greater than 30), age greater than 55 years, and a family history of heart disease.


The more risk factors you possess, the more likely the symptoms you are experiencing are due to underlying CAD. Knowing these risk factors will allow your healthcare provider to evaluate your symptoms, depending on how likely they are due to coronary disease.
Stop what you're doing if you experience chest pain.
Assess whether your chest pain is likely a heart attack.
Look for other symptoms.
Look for symptoms of related illnesses.
Take your risk factors into consideration.
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