Guide
Heart Attack Signs and Stroke Signs: What to Look For and When to Call 911
Heart attack signs include chest pressure, squeezing or pain lasting more than a few minutes, plus shortness of breath, cold sweat or nausea. Stroke signs follow B.E. F.A.S.T. Any of these means call 911. A supplement like Melonex is never a reason to wait.
Written by the Melonex label deskUpdated
Heart attack01
What are the signs of a heart attack?
The most common heart attack sign is chest discomfort in the center of the chest: pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain that lasts more than a few minutes or comes and goes (AHA, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack).
Other signs can appear with it or alone. The AHA lists discomfort in one or both arms, the back, the neck, the jaw or the stomach. It also lists shortness of breath, a cold sweat, nausea and lightheadedness (AHA, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack).
Signs can build slowly or arrive fast. Not everyone has the same signs. If something feels wrong and you are not sure, call anyway. Waiting to see if it passes costs time.
- Pressure, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest.
- Discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath, with or without chest pain.
- Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
At a glance02
Which signs mean you should call 911?
Any heart attack or stroke sign means call 911. The AHA calls it almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment (AHA, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack).
Do not drive yourself or another person to the hospital for a possible stroke. Call an ambulance, so help starts on the way (CDC, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke).
- Chest discomfortPressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest, lasting more than a few minutes or coming and going.
- Discomfort elsewhereArms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Other signsShortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
- Stroke: B.E. F.A.S.T.Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, Time: any sign means call 911 and note when it started.
- Call 911, do not driveAny of these: call 911 right away. Do not drive yourself or the person to the hospital.
Signs from AHA (AHA, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack) and CDC (CDC, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke). This list is not complete, and a supplement is never a reason to wait.
Stroke03
What are the signs of a stroke?
Stroke signs are summed up as B.E. F.A.S.T.: Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech and Time. If you see any of them, call 9-1-1 right away (CDC, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke).
Time matters because the most effective stroke treatments need diagnosis within 3 hours of the first symptoms (CDC, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke). Note when the symptoms started and tell the dispatcher.
| Letter | Ask or look for |
|---|---|
| B: Balance | Sudden loss of balance or coordination |
| E: Eyes | Sudden vision trouble in one or both eyes |
| F: Face | One side of the face droops when the person smiles |
| A: Arms | One arm drifts down when both are raised |
| S: Speech | Slurred or strange speech, or trouble understanding |
| T: Time | Call 911 and note when it started |
What to do04
What should you do while waiting for help?
Stay where you are, keep the phone with you and follow the dispatcher. Do not take a supplement, and do not wait for a blood pressure reading.
Call 911
Give your location and say you think it is a heart attack or stroke.
Note the time
Tell the crew when the first symptom began (CDC, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke).
Open the door
Ask someone to meet the crew at the entrance, and sit or lie down while you wait.
List your medicines
Have the names ready, including any supplement you take.
Beyond calling, the dispatcher may give steps specific to your case. Follow them over anything printed here.
Blood pressure link05
Can high blood pressure cause a heart attack or stroke?
High blood pressure is a key risk factor for heart disease, along with high cholesterol and smoking. Heart disease causes about 1 in 5 U.S. deaths (CDC, About Heart Disease).
It has no symptoms of its own, so the warning signs above can be the first sign something is wrong (NHLBI, What Is High Blood Pressure). The reading you take at home matters, but a reading never replaces a call. A very high reading with chest pain, weakness or trouble speaking is an emergency (AHA, Understanding Blood Pressure Readings) (AHA, Home Blood Pressure Monitoring).
See blood pressure basics for the ranges and home monitoring for the method.
Melonex: from $49 a bottle60 capsules · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 and 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsSupplement caution06
Should you avoid arginine supplements after a heart attack?
Mayo Clinic, MSK and Cleveland Clinic each advise against arginine after a heart attack (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine) (MSK, Arginine) (Cleveland Clinic, L-arginine).
The VINTAGE MI trial gave arginine to people after a heart attack. Six of 70 arginine patients died, against none on placebo, and the trial stopped (JAMA 2006, VINTAGE MI trial). The dose was about 9 g a day, far above the 500 mg blend in a Melonex capsule.
We are not saying Melonex caused harm. We are reporting that three sources say to avoid arginine after a heart attack, and Melonex lists two arginine forms. If you have had a heart attack, ask your cardiologist before you take it.
Do not start Melonex without your doctor's approval. Of all the cautions on this site, this one matters most.
Afterward07
What should you tell your doctor after a scare?
Tell them everything you take, including capsules, even if they seem harmless. The AHA says to check with a healthcare professional or pharmacist before taking supplements (AHA, Managing BP Medications).
Take prescribed medicine as directed, and never cut back because you feel better (AHA, Managing BP Medications). Write down your symptoms, the time they started and any readings.
The medicines guide and the side effects page list the interaction cautions in more detail.
Remember08
What is the one thing to remember?
Call 911 first. Everything else, including a capsule or a reading, comes after.
A bottle on the shelf, a cuff on the table and a page on a screen are all useful on an ordinary day. On the day the signs appear, the phone is the tool that counts.
FAQ09
Melonex questions people ask
What does a heart attack feel like?
It often feels like pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes, or coming and going. It can also spread to the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach (AHA, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack).
Are heart attack signs different in women?
We found no source in our list that compares the sexes, so we make no claim. The AHA lists the same signs for everyone and says to call 911 if you have any of them (AHA, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack).
What does B.E. F.A.S.T. stand for?
It stands for Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech and Time. If you see any of these signs in someone, call 9-1-1 right away and note when the symptoms started (CDC, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke).
Should I drive myself to the hospital with chest pain?
No. Call 911. The AHA calls an ambulance almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment (AHA, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack). For a possible stroke, do not drive yourself or the person (CDC, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke).
Can I take a supplement for chest pain?
No. Chest pain needs 911, not a capsule. No supplement treats a heart attack, and Melonex makes no such claim. Take only what a medical professional tells you to take.
Is Melonex safe after a heart attack?
Ask your cardiologist first. Mayo Clinic, MSK and Cleveland Clinic advise against arginine after a heart attack (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine) (MSK, Arginine) (Cleveland Clinic, L-arginine), and the Melonex label lists two arginine forms.
Does a normal blood pressure rule out a heart attack?
No. A normal reading does not rule out a heart attack or stroke. Judge by the signs and call 911 if you have any (AHA, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack) (CDC, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke).
Who wrote this10
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for the Official U.S. Melonex shop. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We make money when you buy through our order links.
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