Heart disease can cause heart attacks. Heart attack symptoms may not be sudden or dramatic like in the movies, so don't wait until symptoms are severe or unbearable. If you or someone you know is having one or more of the following symptoms, dial 9-1-1 or the emergency number in your neighborhood.

•	discomfort that spreads from the chest to the shoulders, neck and arms
•	pressure or squeezing pain in the chest that may spread into the neck, shoulders and arms
•	nausea, breathlessness, sweating or fainting with pain in the arms, chest or neck
•	feelings of impending doom
•	significant fatigue
•	problems sleeping
•	indigestion
•	weakness in the arms

Remember, not all heart attacks begin with sudden, crushing chest pain, especially for women, for whom heart attack symptoms often are milder and less specific. Women may complain of unusual fatigue, sleep problems, indigestion and weakness in their arms in the month before a heart attack.

To find out more about heart disease, its prevention, diagnosis and treatment, click here.

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Create Date: 2/9/05 Date Last Updated: 2/9/05