Warning Signs Of Heart Attack, Stroke & Cardiac Arrest

By AHA

HEART ATTACK WARNING SIGNS

  • Chest Discomfort-Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
  • Discomfort in other areas of the Upper Body- Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
  • Shortness of Breath- with or without chest discomfort
  • Other Signs- may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

STROKE WARNING SIGNS

  • Face DroopingDoes one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
  • Arm Weakness Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
  • Speech Difficulty Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
  • Time to call 9-1-1 If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.

CARDIAC ARREST WARNING SIGNS

·       Sudden Loss of Responsiveness- No response to tapping on shoulders.

·       No Normal Breathing- The Victim does not take a normal breath when you tilt the head up and check for at least five seconds.