Chest pain or pressure Chest heaviness or tightness Sweating or “cold” sweats Feeling of fullness or indigestion Nausea and/or vomiting Lightheadedness Dizziness Extreme weakness Anxiety Rapid pulse or irregular heart rhythm Shortness of breath Pain radiating down the arm Pain described mostly commonly as squeezing or tightness of the chest, but not sharp pain Note that in women, elderly, and those with diabetes, heart attacks often don’t have many of the common symptoms and can even present as other symptoms altogether. Fatigue is common.

If the artery is completely blocked, you may experience fever, nausea, vomiting, and steady aching pain in the lower back or abdomen. If the blockage is from small blockages that lodge in the renal artery, you may also have similar blockages in other areas of your body, such as in your fingers, legs, brain or intestines.

If you think you are having a heart attack, chew 325 mg of full-strength aspirin once you have contacted emergency services. If you only have baby aspirin, take four 81 mg pills. Chewing before swallowing will help the aspirin work faster.

The doctor may also order electrical studies of the heart using electrocardiogram to record electrical signals indicating if you have had a heart attack in the past or having one presently. Your doctor may also request imaging studies including echocardiogram, Computed Tomography (CT), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to evaluate how the heart is working, see blocked passages in the heart, and visualize any calcium deposits which may be contributing to narrowing or clogging of the heart arteries. [6] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source A stress test may also be conducted. This will allow the doctor to measure blood flow to the heart muscle under stress conditions. [7] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source

Under 50 years of age, have diabetes and at least one of the following: smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. Over 50 years of age and have diabetes Fifty years or older and have been a smoker Are at 70 years or older Have one or more of these symptoms: foot or toe pain at rest that disturbs sleep, a wound on the skin of the foot or leg that is slow to heal (longer than 8 weeks), and fatigue, heaviness, or tiredness of the leg, calf, or buttock muscles which happens with activity and goes away with rest.

While you might be steering clear of saturated fats to reduce your cholesterol level and risk of atherosclerosis and clogged arteries, you will have been making a significant mistake. Eating healthy saturated fats has not been scientifically linked with heart disease and clogged arteries. [12] X Research source [13] X Research source However, diets high in fructose, sugar-filled low-fat food options, and whole grain wheat have been linked to dyslipidemia creating clogged arteries. Fructose can be found in beverages, fruits, jelly, jams and other pre-sweetened food. [14] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source [15] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source [16] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source [17] X Research source [18] X Research source

This includes only drinking a moderate amount of alcohol.

Statins are not for everyone, but if you have diabetes, already have heart disease, have high levels of cholesterol (190 mg/dL or higher LDL cholesterol), or a high 10-year risk of heart attack, your doctor may recommend you try it. [23] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Statins include atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Altoprev), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor). [24] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source