Acting fast at the first sign of heart attack symptoms can save your life and limit the damage to your heart. Treatment works best when it's given right after symptoms occur.

Many people aren't sure what's wrong when they are having symptoms of a heart attack. Some of the most common warning symptoms of a heart attack for both men and women are:

•           Chest pain or discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest. The discomfort usually lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. It can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. It also can feel like heartburn or indigestion.

•           Upper body discomfort. You may feel pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach (above the belly button).

•           Shortness of breath. This may be your only symptom, or it may occur before or along with chest pain or discomfort. It can occur when you are resting or doing some physical activity.

Other possible symptoms of a heart attack include:

•           Breaking out in a cold sweat;

•           Feeling exhausted for no reason, sometimes for days (especially if you are a woman);

•           Nausea (feeling sick to the stomach) and vomiting;

•           Light-headedness or sudden dizziness;

•           Any sudden, new symptom or a change in the pattern of symptoms you already have (for example, if your symptoms become stronger or last longer than usual).

Not all heart attacks begin with the sudden, crushing chest pain that is often shown on TV or in movies. The symptoms of a heart attack can vary from person to person. Some people can have few symptoms and are surprised to learn they've had a heart attack. If you've already had a heart attack, your symptoms may be different during another heart attack.