Heart Attack 

How to know if you are having a heart attack?

Some symptoms when experiencing a heart are:

• Pain or discomfort in your chest that happens suddenly and doesn't go away
• Pain that spreads to your left or right arm, or to your neck, jaw, back or stomach. For some people the pain or tightness is severe, while for others it’s uncomfortable. It may feel like heaviness, or a burning pain similar to indigestion
• Feeling sick, sweaty, light-headed or short of breath.

What causes a heart attack?

Most heart attacks are caused by coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD causes your coronary arteries to become narrowed by a gradual build-up of fatty deposits called atheroma. If a piece of atheroma breaks off, a blood clot forms around this to try and repair the damage to the artery wall. This clot can block your coronary artery, causing your heart muscle to be starved of blood and oxygen.

Other less common symptoms include:

• A sudden feeling of anxiety that can feel similar to a panic attack
• Lots of coughing or wheezing due to a build-up of fluid in the lungs.

How to reduce the risk of having a heart attack?

There are many things you can do to be healthier and reduce your risk, like:

• Keeping active – which has been proven to boost energy, sleep and quality of life
• Maintaining a healthy weight and diet – this will help your overall health and prevent extra strain on your heart
• Limiting how much alcohol you drink (less than the recommended 14 units per week)
• Stopping smoking and using other tobacco products
• Controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels (if you have diabetes).

• Symptoms of a heart attack
• I’m having a heart attack
• Cause of a heart arrack
• Diagnosing a heart attack
• Treating a heart attack
• Recovering from a hear attack in the hospital
• Recovering from a hear attack at home
• Medicines after a heart attack
• Reducing your risk of having a heart attack
• Heart helpline & other support