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Heart Disease Health Center

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Chest Pain - Emergencies

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Do you have any of the following symptoms that require emergency treatment? Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.

  • Chest discomfort or pain is crushing or squeezing, feels like a heavy weight on the chest, or is occurring with any of the following symptoms:
    • Sweating
    • Shortness of breath
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Pain that spreads from the chest to the back, neck, jaw, upper belly, or one or both shoulders or arms (see an illustration of chest pain)
    • Dizziness or feeling like you are going to faint (lightheadedness)
    • A fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
  • Shock
  • Moderate to severe difficulty breathing or severe shortness of breath
  • Severe fatigue with any other symptoms of a heart attack
  • Angina that has been diagnosed by your doctor but has not gone away after using your home treatment plan
  • If the person becomes unconscious, see Rescue Breathing and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in the topic Dealing With Emergencies.
  • If the person is awake, alert, not vomiting, and not allergic to aspirin, have the person chew and swallow 1 adult aspirin (325 mg) or 4 low-dose aspirin (80 mg each) before emergency medical personnel such as paramedics arrive. Be sure to tell emergency personnel that aspirin has been taken.
  • Remember it is important to have the person taken to the hospital by emergency personnel because his or her condition may get worse on the way.

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: April 27, 2007
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.
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