How common is chest pain in heart attack?

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked. The chest feeling may be pressure, squeezing, fullness, heaviness, or pain. It may travel to the arm, shoulder, jaw, neck, back, or upper abdomen. Breathlessness, sweating, nausea, dizziness, or sudden unusual fatigue can occur alongside it. Some people have less typical symptoms or no obvious chest pain, so the full symptom picture and a prompt clinical assessment are essential.

If you have new, persistent, or unexplained chest discomfort now, call emergency services immediately. Stop activity, sit or lie in a comfortable position, and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Do not drive yourself to hospital and do not wait to see whether the symptom fades. If you have an emergency plan or prescribed medicine, use it only as previously directed by your clinician while help is being arranged.

Treat chest pressure or pain with breathlessness, sweating, nausea, faintness, or pain spreading beyond the chest as an emergency. The same applies when discomfort is sudden, severe, becomes worse, or feels different from a familiar symptom. Urgency comes from the potential seriousness of chest symptoms, not from trying to decide their cause yourself.

If tests do not show a heart attack, ask what may have caused the symptoms and what follow-up is needed. If you have heart disease, ask for a clear action plan covering recurring symptoms, prescribed medicines, activity, and when to call emergency services.