We’ve all seen how heart attacks happen on television and in the movies. Brando, perhaps, did it best in “The Godfather,” wandering through the vineyard with an orange rind in his teeth. Redd Foxx’s Fred Sanford in “Sanford and Son” did it well, too.

There’s a change of expression on the face, then the victim — usually a man, because heart attacks always happen to men, right? — gropes for his chest. A little writhing and then, calm. Either the cardiac event has passed, or the character has.

Some people do experience the classic “Hollywood heart attack.” But the truth is, the symptoms of a heart attack can be much more subtle than as seen on TV. The symptoms can be so mild, in fact, that some people who suffer heart attacks are surprised to learn they’ve had one. And the symptoms may not even be the same from one heart attack to another for individuals who have more than one.

They Often Start Slow

Many heart attacks begin with only mild discomfort in the chest that intensifies over time. The discomfort can come and go over the course of several hours. Though rare, some people with complicating conditions, such as diabetes, may experience “silent heart attacks” without any symptoms at all.

Symptoms can include pain in places other than the chest, such as one or both arms, the neck, abdomen or back. Shortness of breath may accompany the pain, along with unexplained sweating.

Generally, symptoms to be aware of include:

• Severe pressure, fullness, squeezing, pain and discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and returns
• Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulders, neck, arms or jaw
• Chest pain or pressure that increases in intensity
• Chest pain or pressure that is not relieved by rest or by taking nitroglycerin (NTG)
• Chest pain or pressure that occurs with any additional symptoms, including sweating, clammy skin, paleness, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, dizziness or fainting, unexplained weakness or fatigue, or rapid or irregular pulse

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, women also tend to experience different symptoms than men, especially nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and pain in their jaws along with chest pain. Women also often experience a high level of fatigue, sometimes lasting for days.

Saving Heart

Whatever the symptoms, this much is certain: heart attacks damage heart tissue, and heart tissue doesn’t recover. The damage that’s done is permanent.

Also, the symptoms you’re experiencing can intensify suddenly, without warning.

That’s why it’s important to seek treatment right away. An ambulance is the safest way to get to the hospital, because emergency medical technicians (EMTs) can perform lifesaving services, such as CPR or cardiac defibrillation, en route to the hospital. Also, many ambulances in west Georgia are outfitted with special equipment that allows them to transmit EKG readings ahead to the hospital. That allows a physician at the hospital to determine if an individual is experiencing a heart attack and to make arrangements to receive the patient, including mobilizing a cardiac care team to perform angioplasty, if necessary, to restore blood flow to the heart.

For more information about cardiology services at Tanner, visit Tanner Heart Care.

Tanner Heart & Vascular Specialists has locations in Bremen, Carrollton, Villa Rica, and Wedowee. For more information, visit HeartAndVascularSpecialists.org or call 770-812-9326.