First Aid Guides
Heart attack
Causes, signs and symptoms
Having a heart attack isn't always what you see in the movies, symptoms can be very mild and may not appear to be cause for concern.
What can cause a heart attack?
Causes of a heart attack include:
- Narrowing of the arteries
- Unhealthy eating
- Overweight
- Physically inactive
- Smoking
- High blood pressure or cholesterol
Signs and symptoms of a heart attack
Although chest pain or discomfort is the most common symptom of a heart attack, some people will not experience chest pain at all, while others will experience only mild chest pain or discomfort.
When having a heart attack, you may experience pain, pressure, heaviness or tightness in one or more parts of your upper body, including your:
- Chest
- Shoulder(s)
- Neck
- Arm(s)
- Jaw
- Back
This may occur in combination with other symptoms. For example, you may also:
- Feel nauseous
- Feel dizzy or light-headed
- Have a cold sweat
- Feel short of breath
