When Chest Symptoms Are an Emergency

If new or unexplained chest pressure or discomfort occurs, particularly when accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, dizziness, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, back, or neck, emergency medical evaluation is important.

Do not assume that you can determine the cause yourself.

Heart attacks require rapid treatment, and waiting to see whether the symptoms disappear can be dangerous.

2. Unusual Shortness of Breath

Feeling out of breath after intense exercise is normal.

Becoming short of breath during ordinary activities that previously felt easy is different.

For example, someone might notice that walking across a room, climbing a small number of stairs, getting dressed, or doing routine household tasks suddenly requires much more effort.

Shortness of breath can occur with heart problems because the heart and lungs work closely together.

When the heart cannot circulate blood efficiently, pressure can build up in the blood vessels of the lungs, potentially contributing to breathing difficulty.