Heed Heart Attack Warning Signs

Anyone who has chest pain that worsens over a five-minute period should call for emergency medical help, according to new guidelines released by the American Heart Association (AHA). Worsening chest pain, especially if accompanied by shortness of breath, weakness or lightheadedness, can be a sign of a heart attack. The more quickly a person having a heart attack is treated, the more likely the person is to survive without long-term complications, the AHA says. Other symptoms of a heart attack include pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach. Not everyone having a heart attack experiences typical symptoms. The more signs and symptoms you have, the more likely that you are having a heart attack.