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How to Recognize Signs of Heart Attack, Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Stroke

Think you’ll know if you’re having a heart attack or stroke? It may surprise you, but attacks to your heart and brain aren’t always obvious. That’s because the warning signs often mimic less serious afflictions — like indigestion or migraine headaches — that can be easily ignored. But since symptoms can vary between one person and another as well as gender, it’s important that you recognize other warning signs, too. If you or someone you know experience any of the following symptoms of heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest or stroke, get medical help immediately.

Heart Attack
Heart attacks can be sudden and intense, but the majority start slowly with mild pain and discomfort. Symptoms to watch for include:
• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness.

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Stroke
Sudden, unexpected changes in body functions like speech, vision and movement indicate stroke. Other red flags include:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Most victims of sudden cardiac arrest never know what’s coming. They simply lose consciousness and collapse. However, warning signs sometimes include:
• Sudden loss of responsiveness (no response to tapping on shoulders).
• No normal breathing (the victim does not take a normal breath when you tilt the head up and check for at least five seconds).

Always call 911 if you or someone you know is experiencing any of the listed symptoms. Don’t try to drive yourself to the hospital. Paramedics can begin treatment up to an hour sooner than if you arrive by car. And those precious minutes may mean the difference between life and death.

Heart Attack Survival Plan
Fill in the information below. Keep this form in a handy place. You may want to photocopy it and keep a copy at home, work, and in your wallet or purse. Share the information with emergency medical personnel and hospital staff.

Medicines you are taking.
Medicines you are allergic to.
If symptoms stop completely in less than 5 minutes, you should still call your health care provider.
Phone number during office hours:
Phone number after office hours:
Person to contact if you go to the hospital.
Name:
Home phone number:
Cell phone number:
Work phone number: