Pain that relates to a heart attack most often feels like a pressure, or squeezing, sensation. It can range from mildly painful, or not painful at all (in what are called "silent heart attacks"), to full pain that people would rank a 10 out of 10 in intensity. The pain is often in the chest area, and may radiate down your left arm, to your jaw, or to your back. In addition to pain in your arm, jaw, neck, and back, there are other symptoms you may see during a cardiac episode, as well. These include:  Nausea Lightheadedness or dizziness Cold sweating Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing due to chest tightness If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms in conjunction with your pain, it is best to see a doctor as soon as possible to rule out the possibility of a heart attack. (911) if you are experiencing heart attack symptoms. If you are in doubt about your current condition, it is safer to call 9-1-1 or triple zero (000) or the Emergency Medical Services number for your area for quick transport to the hospital and further management. Always remember that if you have a heart attack, time is very important and not a second should be wasted because your life is at risk.  As you wait for emergency medical personnel to arrive, take 2 baby aspirins (180mg total) as these can diminish the severity of a heart attack. Aspirin works by preventing further blood clots, and it is a blood clot in one of the coronary arteries (the arteries surrounding the heart) that causes a heart attack to begin with (so aspirin helps to prevent this clot from getting worse). Do not take aspirin if you have been diagnosed with GI bleeds or allergies to aspirin. Also take nitroglycerin if you have it on you as you wait for the ambulance to get there. This can diminish chest pain and help you to cope with the symptoms until you get to the hospital (at which point the doctors can offer you additional pain medications such as morphine). DO NOT take nitroglycerin if you have had Viagra or Levitra in the past 24 hrs, or Cialis in the last 48 hrs. It can cause a dangerous loss of blood pressure and other complications. Tell your EMS workers and doctor if you have taken these medications in this time frame. If you suspect you may be having a heart attack, your doctor will perform a number of tests in order to determine and to confirm the diagnosis. You will receive an electrocardiogram (an ECG) to evaluate your heart's rhythm; abnormalities will show up in the case of a heart attack. You will also receive blood tests, mainly to check for an elevation of cardiac enzymes in the blood stream which is indicative of strain on the heart. Depending upon your symptoms and how clear the diagnosis is to your doctors, you may or may not receive additional diagnostic tests including: an echocardiogram, a chest x-ray, an angiogram, and/or an exercise stress test.
قدّر مدى شعورك بالألم. لاحظ الأعراض الأخرى غير الألم. اتصل بالإسعاف إذا كانت لديك أعراض النوبة القلبية. اخضع لسلسلة فحوصات تشخيصية.