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Signs and symptoms of a heart attack

Is it a heart attack?
It's easy to mistake the early symptoms of a heart attack for indigestion or a pulled muscle. Because early treatment significantly improves your chances of a full recovery, it pays to be vigilant. If you have any of the symptoms listed below, improve your odds of making a full recovery—call 9-1-1 and ask to be taken to St. Francis right away.

  • Chest discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back—it can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Note: Pain can be strong and intense, or mild and uncomfortable.
  • Discomfort in the upper body, including the neck, either or both shoulders, back, the jaw or the stomach.
  • Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.
  • Nausea, lightheadedness or breaking out in a cold sweat.

Women's Symptoms
Fewer than 30 percent of women report having chest pain before a heart attack. Be on the lookout for:

  • Unusual fatigue
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Indigestion
  • Anxiety
  • Dizziness

Get help now-even if you're not sure.
If you're experiencing symptoms, don't worry about raising a false alarm. Doctors and hospital staff will not be inconvenienced if it turns out to be a less serious problem.

The sooner a heart attack can be treated, the more likely it is that you will make a full recovery. That's why it's so important to choose St. Francis. We have the resources to begin treatment immediately. You can lose valuable minutes if you have to be transferred to another facility or while waiting for staff to arrive. At St. Francis Heart Center, our heart attack team is available 24 hours a day. In addition, every hospital and urgent care clinic in the St. Francis Health System can begin the EHART® protocol while you are traveling to the main hospital.

Don't forget to register for your FREE Heart Screening.