Heart & Circulation

Early Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

Subtle symptoms that can appear hours or days before a heart attack, and what to do.

1 min read

Heart attacks don’t always start with sudden, crushing chest pain.
In many cases, subtle symptoms appear hours or even days before.

Common early warning signs

  1. Chest discomfort — pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain that comes and goes.
  2. Pain in other areas — discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
  3. Shortness of breath — with or without chest discomfort.
  4. Unusual fatigue — especially in women, this can precede other symptoms.
  5. Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats.

What to do

  • Call emergency services immediately — don’t wait to see if symptoms go away.
  • Chew aspirin (unless allergic or advised not to) while waiting for help.
  • Stay calm and still — moving around can worsen heart strain.

Early recognition saves lives — act fast if you or someone else may be having a heart attack.