Chest discomfort
Pressure, squeezing, heaviness, fullness or pain in the chest.
SAVE A HEART · KNOW THE SIGNS
Know the signs.
Know what to do.
Heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke explained simply. A little knowledge can help you act when it matters.
Experiencing symptoms?Call 911 immediately. Don’t wait to finish reading.
01 | RECOGNIZE
Heart attack signs to know
Signs can start mildly, come and go, or appear suddenly. You do not need to have every symptom to call for help.
Upper-body discomfort
Pain or discomfort in an arm, shoulder, back, neck or jaw.
Shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing, with or without chest discomfort.
Unusual sweating
A cold sweat that is out of the ordinary.
Nausea or vomiting
Feeling sick to your stomach can be a warning sign.
Light-headedness
Feeling dizzy, faint or unusually unsteady.
Suspect a heart attack? Call 911 even if you are unsure.
02 | A CLOSER LOOK
Women’s symptoms deserve attention.
A heart attack doesn’t always look like a hand clutched to the chest.
Chest pain or discomfort is still the most common heart attack symptom in women and men. But women can have a heart attack without chest pressure.
Look beyond chest pain
- Unusual or extreme fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Pressure in the upper back
- Pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen
- Dizziness, light-headedness or fainting
These symptoms can occur in anyone. Don’t dismiss a possible heart attack as stress, indigestion or simply being tired. Call 911.
03 | TAKE ACTION
Suspect a heart attack? Call first.
Call 911 immediately.
Describe the symptoms and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Do not drive yourself to the hospital.
Stop and rest.
Sit or lie in a comfortable position while waiting for help.
Ask about aspirin (ASA).
For an alert adult who can swallow, follow emergency medical guidance. Heart & Stroke advises chewing and swallowing one 325 mg tablet or two 81 mg tablets if not allergic or intolerant to ASA. Tell the dispatcher about medicines you take or any reason you have been told to avoid aspirin.
Call 911 before taking aspirin. Do not wait to see if it helps. If stroke is suspected, do not give aspirin: it can worsen a bleeding stroke. When unsure, follow the dispatcher’s advice.
04 | UNDERSTAND
Three emergencies. Different responses.
You do not have to diagnose the cause. Call 911 and describe what you see.
Heart attack
Blood flow to part of the heart is blocked. The person is often awake and the heart usually keeps beating.
Call 911. Rest. Follow emergency medical guidance about chewing aspirin (ASA), if you are not allergic or intolerant.
Cardiac arrest
The heart stops pumping effectively. The person is unresponsive and is not breathing normally.
Call 911. Start CPR. Use an AED.
Stroke
Blood flow to the brain is blocked, or a blood vessel in the brain bleeds.
Use FAST. Call 911. Do not give aspirin.
A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest, but they are not the same emergency.
05 | CARDIAC ARREST
Unresponsive and not breathing normally?
Sudden collapse and no response to your voice or touch are warning signs. Gasping is not normal breathing.
Call. Push. Use an AED.
- Call 911 on speakerphone and ask someone to bring an AED.
- For an adult who is unresponsive and not breathing normally, start chest compressions in the centre of the chest. Push hard and fast: 100–120 times per minute. Follow the dispatcher’s CPR instructions.
- Turn on the AED as soon as it arrives and follow its voice prompts.
06 | STROKE
Remember FAST.
One sign is enough to call 911. Act even if the symptoms go away.
Face
Ask them to smile. Is one side drooping?
Arms
Ask them to lift both arms. Does one drift down?
Speech
Is their speech slurred, strange or difficult to understand?
Time
Call 911 right away. Note when the symptoms started or when they were last well.
Other sudden signs can include vision changes, trouble walking, loss of balance or a severe unexplained headache. Do not drive to hospital or give aspirin for a suspected stroke.
Share the knowledge.
Be ready for one another.
Talk about these signs with the people you love. Learn CPR, know where to find an AED, and ask your healthcare professional whether carrying aspirin is right for you.
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