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Heart Attack or Indigestion?
Know Your Heart
 You're having chest pain and
feeling sick to your stomach.
Do you reach for the antacids
or head to the ER? Because indigestion
and heart attack can have similar symptoms,
it's important to listen to your body
and know when to seek medical attention.
In addition, it's equally important to
help ER doctors diagnose your condition
by being open and honest about your
health history and
current situation.
Sorting Out Symptoms
"Heart attack symptoms are different
for every person and don't always
include the crushing chest pain
typically associated with heart attacks,"
says Earl Mangin, M.D., cardiologist.
"Instead, you may feel nauseated or
break out in a cold sweat. The pain
may radiate down your arms or migrate
to your neck and shoulders. Men and
women often experience the symptoms
of a heart attack differently, and even those
who have had a heart attack previously
may have a different set of symptoms
with a subsequent heart attack."
Indigestion symptoms vary from person
to person as well. Pain that's uncharacteristic
may be a clue that something
more serious is happening. When in
doubt, get help – that way if your condition
escalates, medical professionals will be close by to provide treatment that
could save your life.
Help Us Help You
Providing health care professionals with
the right information can help them
diagnose your condition sooner so you
get the treatment you need. Dr. Mangin
recommends the following actions:
Don't underestimate pain or
symptoms. No one wants to believe
they are having a heart attack, but it
doesn't help to tell others you’re feeling
OK when you're not. Playing down the
seriousness of your pain or symptoms
only makes it harder for your physician
to correctly diagnose your condition.
Be proactive with your health
history. You may not think to quickly
volunteer information about your risk
factors – smoking, high cholesterol,
high blood pressure or family history of
heart disease – because of fear or guilt
about poor health habits. But this
information is essential in providing a
bigger picture of your health so doctors
can better diagnose and treat you.
Schedule a follow-up exam. Even if
your chest pain doesn’t escalate to a
heart attack, it's still a good idea to
follow up with your health care
provider. Ask about ways to prevent
or lower your risk for heart disease
through diet, exercise, medication
and/or lifestyle changes.
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When a heart attack occurs, it's critical to
recognize the signals and respond immediately.
If you or someone near you experiences any of
the following symptoms, call 911 immediately:
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or
squeezing pain in the center of the chest,
lasting more than several minutes
- Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms
- Lightheadedness, fainting, sweating or
shortness of breath associated with
other symptoms
- Stomach or abdominal pain
- Nausea or dizziness
- Unexplained weakness or fatigue
- Palpitations, cold sweat or paleness
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