Suspected Heart Attack
Blockage of a coronary artery, cutting blood supply to part of the heart.
Last revised
Key takeaways
- Call 999 if pain lasts: more than 15 minutes, or is severe
- Typical description: pressure, tightness, heaviness or squeezing
- Most useful single change: Call 999 rather than arranging your own transport.
- Commonest mistake: Driving yourself or being driven.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Why it matters
Muscle dies while you decide, and atypical presentation is a major cause of delay in women, older adults and people with diabetes.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Call 999 if pain lasts | more than 15 minutes, or is severe |
| Typical description | pressure, tightness, heaviness or squeezing |
| Radiation | arm, neck, jaw or back |
| Aspirin | 300mg chewed, if advised by the operator and not allergic |
What helps
- Call 999 rather than arranging your own transport
- Sit down and stay as calm as you can
- Chew aspirin if the operator advises it
What to avoid
- Driving yourself or being driven
- Waiting to see whether it passes
- Assuming the absence of classic chest pain rules it out
Where to go next
- New to Suspected Heart Attack? Start Here
- Your Questions About Suspected Heart Attack, Answered
- Sepsis: What the Evidence Actually Says
- The Evidence on Burns and Scalds, Without the Hype
When to get help
Call 999 immediately for chest pain or tightness lasting more than a few minutes, pain spreading to the arm, neck or jaw, chest pain with sweating, nausea or breathlessness, or sudden severe tearing pain radiating to the back.
Where this comes from
- British Heart Foundation — heart attack symptoms
- NICE — Chest pain of recent onset
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.