It can spread down the arms, to the back, or to the head and neck. Both women and men report chest pain as a primary symptom of heart attack, but women more often than men are likely to have some of the other symptoms, such as nausea, jaw pain, or shortness of breath.

Some heart attacks strike suddenly, but many people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. The earliest warning may be recurrent chest pain that's triggered by exertion and relieved by rest. A heart attack can cause cardiac arrest, but it's not the only cause.

Left arm pain is one of the most common symptoms of a heart attack. This may seem strange since the arm muscles are not being damaged. Pain, numbness, or any other unusual discomfort in the back, neck, jaw, or lower abdomen. shortness of breath, with or without chest pain.