The most common symptoms of coronary heart disease (CHD) are chest pain (angina) and breathlessness. But some people may not have any symptoms before they're diagnosed. If your coronary arteries become partially blocked, it can cause chest pain (angina). This can be a mild,
uncomfortable feeling similar to indigestion. However, a severe angina attack can cause a painful feeling of heaviness or tightness, usually in the centre of the chest, which may spread to the arms, neck, jaw, back or stomach. Angina is often triggered by physical activity or stressful situations. Symptoms usually pass in less than 10 minutes, and can be
relieved by resting or using a nitrate tablet or spray. Read more about treating angina. If your arteries become completely blocked, it can cause a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Heart attacks can
permanently damage the heart muscle and, if not treated straight away, can be fatal. Dial 999 for immediate medical assistance if you think you're having a heart attack.Angina
Heart attacks
Although symptoms can vary, the discomfort or pain of a heart attack is usually similar to that of angina. However, it's often more severe and may happen when you're resting.
During a heart attack, you may also have the following symptoms:
- pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is travelling from your chest to your arms, jaw, neck, back or stomach
- lightheadedness
- sweating
- nausea
- breathlessness
The symptoms of a heart attack can also be similar to indigestion. For example, they may include a feeling of heaviness in your chest, a stomach ache or heartburn.
A heart attack can happen at any time, including while you're resting. If heart pains last longer than 15 minutes, it may be the start of a heart attack.
Unlike angina, the symptoms of a heart attack are not usually relieved using a nitrate tablet or spray.
A heart attack can sometimes happen without any symptoms. This is known as a silent myocardial infarction and is more common in older people and people with diabetes.
Heart failure
Heart failure can also happen in people with CHD. The heart becomes too weak to pump blood around the body, which can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, making it increasingly difficult to breathe.
Heart failure can happen suddenly (acute heart failure) or gradually, over time (chronic heart failure).
What to do if someone has a heart attack
When someone has a heart attack, a bystander – often a relative with no medical expertise – is usually the first on the scene.
However, less than 1% of the population have attended an emergency life support course.
The following organisations can teach you how to help someone having a heart attack:
- British Heart Foundation: could you save a life?
- British Red Cross: first aid courses
- St John Ambulance: find first aid courses near you
Page last reviewed: 10 March 2020
Next review due: 10 March 2023
When you or someone you love has a sudden, sharp chest pain, you may wonder: is this a heart attack – or simply indigestion?
Heart attack and indigestion can share some similar symptoms. Indigestion can often be treated successfully at home with over-the-counter antacids, while a heart attack requires emergency medical care. That’s why it’s essential to learn how to spot the differences between these two conditions.
What Is Indigestion?
Indigestion occurs when stomach acids back up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest. The condition is sometimes called “heartburn” because the pain often occurs just behind the breastbone, or sternum, on the left side of the chest near the heart.
Symptoms Of Indigestion
Chest pain associated with indigestion is typically sharp, rather than dull. The pain often occurs immediately after eating and may also be accompanied by regurgitation of bits of food in the back of the throat.
“Chest pain that's caused by indigestion usually feels more like a burning sensation in the chest,” said Soo Hyun Park, MD, a board-certified cardiologist with Franciscan Physician Network Indiana Heart Physicians who practices in Indianapolis, Greensburg and Columbus, Ind.
In addition to chest pain, severe indigestion can also be marked by the following symptoms:
- Gassiness, or a need to belch
- Feeling uncomfortably full or bloated
- Nausea or vomiting
What Is A Heart Attack?
A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart becomes blocked. These blockages can occur when blood clots or a narrowing in the arteries – a condition known as arteriosclerosis marked by a build-up of plaque caused by fat and cholesterol – restrict normal blood flow.
The medical term for a reduced blood flow is ischemia. When part of the heart muscle suffers damage as a result of ischemia, it’s called a myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack.
Symptoms Of Heart Attack
For both men and women, the most common symptom of a heart attack is chest discomfort. Chest pain associated with a heart attack is typically dull, rather than sharp. Patients who have suffered a heart attack often report feeling pressure in their chest, as if someone is sitting on them.
In addition to chest pain, typical heart attack symptoms include:
- Pressure or tightness in your chest or arms that may spread to your neck, jaw or back
- Nausea or abdominal pain
- Shortness of breath
- Cold sweats
- Fatigue
- Nausea or vomiting
- Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
Anyone experiencing these heart attack symptoms should call 911 and take steps to get medical care immediately.
Don't Wait To Seek Care
Don't wait to get help if you experience any of these heart attack warning signs. Call 911.