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Although it’s true that chest pain is the classic sign of a heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction (MI), it occurs in only about half of all cases. For those without chest pain, an MI may announce itself with symptoms such as breathlessness, extreme exhaustion, nausea and sweating—either alone or in combination. Furthermore, many heart attacks begin gradually instead of suddenly, with symptoms coming and going over several hours. In fact, an impending MI can masquerade for days as unexplained back pain or indigestion until it ends in a life-threatening crisis.

For this reason, it’s essential to become acquainted with the warning signs of a heart attack, including those less commonly known. In addition to chest discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes, be alert for any of the following symptoms and seek immediate medical care if you or a loved one experience them.

Although angioplasty and other interventional therapies can stop a heart attack in its tracks if performed early enough, prevention remains the best medicine. A healthy lifestyle combined with regular physical exams, cholesterol tests, periodic electrocardiograms and other measures to monitor heart health are the best defense against cardiovascular problems.

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