Surviving a heart attack often means recognizing the correct symptoms. And a British surgeon says too many potential victims don't have a clue as to what those indicators are -- and most symptoms are less dramatic than popularly believed.
Writing in the British Journal, surgeon Tom Treasure says common notions of what constitutes "pain" during such an attack need to be re-examined. Misconceptions of what heart attack pain is often leads to needless death, he says.
Among the misconceptions: "chest pain" or "clutching pain." Symptoms of distress in the heart normally don't fall into the "pain" category, he says, but are more often described as "tightening, a lump in the throat, pressure, indigestion, wind, and a need to keep swallowing."
Most heart attacks are not as dramatic as generally supposed, he says. Warning signs such as discomfort in the neck and arms, difficulty breathing and nausea are far more common indicators.
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