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Fact Sheets and At–a–Glance Reports
Know the Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack
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Symptoms of a Heart Attack
The National Heart Attack Alert Program notes these major signs of a
heart attack:Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve
discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few
minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like
uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain
or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort.
But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat,
nausea, or light-headedness.
If you think that you or someone you know is having a heart attack,
you should call 911 immediately.
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About Heart Attack
If the blood supply to the heart is cut off, a heart attack results.
Cells in the heart muscle that do not receive enough oxygen-carrying blood
begin to die. The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood
flow, the greater the damage to the heart. Having high blood pressure or
high blood cholesterol, smoking, and having had a previous heart attack, stroke or
diabetes can increase a person's chances of developing heart disease and
having a heart attack.
According to the American Heart Association, about 700,000 Americans will
have an initial heart attack and another 500,000 will have a recurrent heart
attack in 2004.1 Almost half of people who have a heart
attack will die from it. According to a CDC report, almost half of
the cardiac deaths in 1999 occurred before emergency services and hospital
treatment could be administered.2
It is important to recognize the signs of a heart attack and to act
immediately by calling 911. A person's chances of surviving a heart attack
is increased if emergency treatment is administered as soon as possible.
CDC's Public Health Efforts: CDC currently funds health
departments in 32 states and the District of Columbia to develop,
implement, and evaluate cardiovascular health promotion, disease
prevention, and control programs and to eliminate health disparities. The
programs emphasize the use of education, policies, environmental
strategies, and system changes to address heart disease and stroke in
various settings and to ensure quality of care. For more information,
visit
http://www.cdc.gov/DHDSP/state_program/.
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For More Information
For more information on heart disease visit our Web site at
http://www.cdc.gov/HeartDisease/ and the
Web sites of the following CDC partners:
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References
- American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2005 Update.
Dallas, TX: AHA, 2004. Available at
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200026*.
Accessed May 17, 2005
- Zheng ZJ, Croft JB, Giles WH, Ayala CI, Greenlund KJ, Keenan NL,
Neff L, Wattigney WA, Mensah GA. State-specific mortality from sudden
cardiac death--United States, 1999. MMWR 2002;51(6):123–126.
Available at
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5106a3.htm. Accessed
May 17, 2005
*Links to non–Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.
Date last reviewed:
05/12/2006
Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke
Prevention,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion |
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