The Lesser-Known Symptoms of Heart Attacks

For some heart attack patients, their symptoms come on hard and fast. Intense chest pressure. Discomfort in their left arm. Shortness of breath. Sweating. Nausea.

But there are others who experience totally different – and sometimes subtler – symptoms.

You may not feel severe discomfort.

First things first: Having a heart attack doesn't automatically mean you'll feel chest-clutching pain. Chest pain or discomfort you might even rate as a two or three out of 10, could be a sign of a heart attack if it persists.

"It's easy to overlook chest pressure when it's low-grade. But you don't have to be doubled over in pain. In fact, I'd say most heart attacks aren't like that," says Raj Kattar, MD, a cardiologist with ProMedica Physicians.

Keep an eye on sudden symptoms.

So how can you tell if subtle signs could mean something more? If you suddenly feel one of the following symptoms you should get medical help right away. This is especially important if these are accompanied with one or more classic heart attack symptoms.

Heartburn

People usually think acid reflux when they feel heartburn. If it comes on suddenly, is worse than usual and your normal remedies (such as antacids) aren’t working, it could be a heart attack. Being short of breath and sweaty with a heartburn is also concerning.

Indigestion

Discomfort in areas of the body between the chest and belly could be indigestion. However, heart attacks in various areas of the heart can cause indigestion-like symptoms. If you have persistent nausea, vomiting or burping with shortness of breath and sweating, it could be a heart problem.

Pain in the Jaw or Between the Shoulder Blades

Pain that appears out of the blue in one of these areas, especially if it's very strong or severe, could have a cardiac cause.

Shortness of Breath

If you suddenly become short of breath for no reason, take note. On its own or with sweatiness, intense shortness of breath can be an atypical presentation of a heart attack. Doctors see it often in elderly patients who sometimes don't report significant chest pain.

"If you're not sure if your mild issue needs urgent attention, a good rule of thumb is to try your normal remedies to see if that helps reduce your discomfort. But if the feeling starts to last 20 or 30 minutes, or you start getting additional symptoms, it's time to get help," explains Dr. Kattar.

Tell someone how you’re feeling.

Make sure to tell someone if you're feeling a new, sudden symptom. Many mild heart attack patients don't go to the hospital until a family member urges them to get help. They can also call 911 for you if needed.

If you suspect you’re having a heart attack, emergency medical help is vital. Doctors need to address the problem quickly to reduce permanent damage to the heart. If you wait, it could lead to issues like congestive heart failure, disability from shortness of breath or dangerous complications down the road.

Knowing the range of heart attack symptoms can help you seek help quickly, especially if you have a higher risk of having a heart attack. Having a family history of heart attacks, having heart disease, having high blood pressure and smoking are all heart attack risk factors.

"A false alarm once in a while is better than missing a heart attack," says Dr. Kattar. "Sometimes it is just indigestion. But missing a heart attack could have long-term consequences, so I think you're better off seeking medical attention."