When to Call 911 Immediately
Call 911 if chest pain is accompanied by ANY of these symptoms—even if you're not sure it's your heart:
- • Pressure, squeezing, tightness, or crushing sensation in the chest
- • Pain spreading to jaw, left arm, back, neck, or stomach
- • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- • Nausea, vomiting, or cold sweats
- • Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
- • Extreme fatigue or weakness
- • Sense of impending doom or severe anxiety
🚨 Don't drive yourself. Call 911. Paramedics can start treatment immediately.
Classic Heart Attack Symptoms
Typical Presentation
Most common description: "Feels like an elephant sitting on my chest" or "a tight band around my chest."
- • Location: Center or left side of chest
- • Duration: Lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back
- • Character: Pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain
- • Radiation: May spread to shoulders, arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
Women & Heart Attacks: Different Symptoms
Important: Women often experience different heart attack symptoms than men, which can lead to delayed treatment.
Women are more likely to have:
- • Unusual fatigue (may begin days before)
- • Shortness of breath
- • Upper back or jaw pain
- • Nausea or vomiting
- • Dizziness or lightheadedness
Other Serious Causes of Chest Pain
Pulmonary Embolism (Blood Clot in Lung)
Symptoms:
- • Sudden sharp chest pain that worsens with breathing
- • Shortness of breath
- • Rapid heart rate
Pneumothorax (Collapsed Lung)
Symptoms:
- • Sudden sharp chest pain
- • Shortness of breath
- • Often occurs at rest in tall, thin individuals
Medical Review
Reviewed by: Ricardo Hamilton, MD
Last Updated: January 7, 2026
Sources: American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology