Recognising the early warning signs of a heart attack

A heart attack does not always begin with dramatic chest pain. Many patients describe a heavy, squeezing or burning discomfort in the centre of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, sometimes spreading to the left arm, jaw, neck or back.

Other signs that deserve urgent attention include sudden breathlessness at rest, cold sweating, nausea or vomiting, unexplained extreme fatigue, and a feeling of impending doom. Women, older adults and people living with diabetes more often report these atypical symptoms without classic chest pain.

What to do: stop all activity, sit down, and call emergency services on 112 immediately. Do not drive yourself. Chewing a dispersible aspirin may help, but only if a doctor has previously advised it and you have no allergy or bleeding disorder.

Time is muscle. Every minute of delay increases the amount of permanently damaged heart tissue, so reaching a hospital with a cardiac care unit quickly matters more than waiting to see whether the pain settles.