Every minute counts, even if the symptoms seem to disappear! Please, know that not everyone gets all of these warning signs. And, sometimes these signs can go away and return. Treatments are most effective if given within one hour of when the attack begins. If you have these symptoms, call 911 right away!

If symptoms stop completely in less than 5 minutes, you should still call your health care provider.

Signs of a Heart Attack:

• Chest Discomfort
  Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
  
• 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 with or before chest discomfort.
  
• Other Signs
  May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness.

Not everyone gets all of these warning signs; sometimes, these signs can go away and return.

If you think you, or someone else, may be having a heart attack, you must act quickly to prevent disability or death. Wait no more than a few minutes—5 at most—before calling 9-1-1.

It is important to call 9-1-1 because emergency medical personnel can begin treatment even before you get to the hospital. They also have the equipment and training to start your heart beating again if it stops. Calling 9-1-1 quickly can save your life.

Even if you’re not sure you’re having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 if your symptoms last up to 5 minutes. If your symptoms stop completely in less than 5 minutes, you should still call your doctor.

You also must act at once because hospitals have clot-busting medicines and other artery-opening treatments and procedures that can stop a heart attack, if given quickly. These treatments work best when given within the first hour after a heart attack starts.

Women tend to delay longer than men in getting help for a possible heart attack. Many women delay because they don’t want to bother or worry others, especially if their symptoms turn out to be a "false alarm." But when you’re facing something as serious as a possible heart attack, it is much better to be safe than sorry. If you have any symptoms of a possible heart attack that last up to 5 minutes, call 9-1-1 right away.

Above adapted from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

The best strategy is prevention and early detection. At Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, patients have access to the expertise of the Heart Center for Women along with the premier hypertension clinic and state-of-the-art Preventive Cardiology Center.

For more information on prevention:

• How to Reduce Your Risk