Part 3 of a series on a healthy heart.

Can you think of any reason not to know the warning signs of a heart attack or stroke? After all, diabetes and heart disease can be related. And even if you're not at heightened risk, you never know when someone you love or someone you know or even just someone you're sitting next to at a restaurant may run into trouble. 

So, as a public service, below are the symptoms of a heart attack and stroke, compliments of the American Heart Association.¹ 

Heart attack symptoms
Symptoms vary widely between people, so don't second-guess yourself. If you see any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1.

• Chest discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back; people describe it as pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain that may come on slowly—not necessarily the way it's portrayed in the movies 
  
  
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body, such as one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach 
  
  
• Shortness of breath, which may occur before the chest discomfort
  
  
• Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness 

Especially for women
While chest discomfort is the most common symptom for women and men, women are more likely to experience other symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Stroke symptoms
A stroke can cause the sudden onset of any of the following:

• Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body 
  
  
• Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding Trouble seeing in one or both eyes 
  
  
• Dizziness, trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination 
  
  
• Severe headache with no known cause 

New treatments can even stop heart attacks and strokes as they occur, but you have to act fast! Don't hesitate—call 9-1-1.

¹_{American Heart Association. Warning signs of heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest. Available at http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Conditions_UCM_305346_SubHomePage.jsp. Accessed October 17, 2011.}