Heart attacks are extremely serious, and in some cases can be fatal. According to the British Heart Foundation, heart and circulatory disease cause a quarter of all deaths in the UK, that’s more than 160,000 deaths each year.
Out of the 30,000 who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, less than one in 10 survive, making heart attacks one of the deadliest conditions.
The Mayo Clinic explains that a heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked. This blockage is most often caused by a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances.
Usually those who have a heart attack experience no other warning signs, but symptoms can include the following:
- Pain or discomfort in your chest that happens suddenly and doesn’t go away
- Pain that spreads to your left or right arm, or to your neck, jaw, back or stomach. For some People the pain or tightness is severe, while for others it’s uncomfortable. It may feel like heaviness, or a burning pain similar to indigestion
- Feeling sick, sweaty, light-headed or short of breath.