The Mayo Clinic says that some heart attacks strike suddenly, but notes that many people have “warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance”.
The site says that the earliest warning might be recurrent chest pain or pressure that’s triggered by activity and relieved by rest.
Indeed, the NHS notes that though the chest pain is often severe, some people may only experience minor pain, similar to indigestion.
“In some cases, there may not be any chest pain at all, especially in women, older people, and people who have diabetes,” it says.