heart attack? at 19?

Question

ok, my grandfather had heart problems but not till his 30's or 40's, my dad hasnt had any yet, although he does have high cholesterol. im 19, and i have these sharp pains in my chest, usually toward the center, maybe every few weeks, and today they went from there to my left shoulder, and then up the left side of my neck. it wasnt anything that made me drop to my knees or anything, but it deffinetly stopped me, is this a heart attack?

and i did smoke for maybe a year as well, and when i do exercise, i find myself unusually breathless, as i used to be very energetic a few years back, but it seems as if i dont have half the breath i used to have.

Answer 1

These pains, alone, are unlikely to be a heart attack since a heart attack also has other symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea. The pains could be angina, which is a warning sign that the heart is not getting enough oxygen, but more likely, you are experiencing some sort of muscle spasm. Since the symptoms could be heart related, its a good idea to follow up with a doctor visit.

Otherwise, muscle spasms are sometimes caused by dehydration or low levels of magnesium. You can eliminate many muscle spasms by remaining hydrated and taking a magnesium supplement at breakfast and dinner.

Answer 2

Symptoms of a Heart Attack

The National Heart Attack Alert ProgramExternal Web Site Icon notes these major signs of a heart attack:
Chest pain or discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

Answer 3

The most common symptom of a heart attack, heart attack victims may experience a diversity of symptoms that include:

pain, fullness, and/or squeezing sensation of the chest;
jaw pain, toothache, headache;
shortness of breath;
nausea, vomiting, and/or general epigastric (upper middle abdomen) discomfort;
sweating;
heartburn and/or indigestion;
arm pain (more commonly the left arm, but may be either arm);
upper back pain;
general malaise (vague feeling of illness); and
no symptoms (approximately one quarter of all heart attacks are silent, without chest pain or new symptoms and silent heart attacks are especially common among patients with diabetes mellitus).

Answer 4

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Answer 5

You'll never know until you've seen a doctor. The chest pain could be heartburn or maybe even gas. Did you now that you can not have any pain at all and still be having a heart attack?

Answer 6

Heart Attack At 19

Answer 7

THe only way to know is to get checked by a doc. There is no way to know for sure without going to the hospital to get checked out.

Answer 8

This definately needs urgent medical attention, if its nothing all well and good, maybe it will help to avoid something bad happening, better to be safe than sorry.
Good luck x

Answer 9

Sounds like wind to me, if you can do exercises w/out chest pain and/or getting inordinately breathless it's not coronary artery disease.

Answer 10

get to the doctors and get it checked out. i lost a beautiful friend last year ...a massive heart attack on the new york subway. she did survive for a few months, was flown back to the uk, but she suffered a second heart attack and died, aged 25. so sad. please, please go to the doc
love & luck
m x