A common complaint—and concern

Chest pain is among the top symptoms of patients who visit the Northwest Medical Center (NMC) emergency room (ER). Learn the warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack, and if you think you’re having a heart attack, call 911 right away and ask to be taken to NMC.

At NMC

Any patient who comes to NMC experiencing chest pain will receive quality care. In February 2011, NMC was accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC). To receive accreditation, NMC has demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and undergoing on-site evaluations by a SCPC review team.


Learn more about the Chest Pain Center at NMC.

“Quick response, diagnosis and treatment save heart muscle and lives,” says cardiologist Greg Koshkarian, M.D., medical director for the Chest Pain Center. “Our hospital’s integration with paramedics and the team effort by ER doctors, cardiologists, nurses and our cardiac cath lab give patients their best chance for survival and an excellent recovery.” The sooner a heart attack is treated, the less damage is done to the heart.

Warning signs of a heart attack

According to the American Heart Association, most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. People often wait too long before getting help. Signs of a heart attack include:

• chest discomfort, pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back

• discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, stomach or in other areas of the upper body

• shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort

• breaking out in a cold sweat

• nausea

• lightheadedness

The most common heart attack symptom in both men and women is chest pain or discomfort. But women may be more likely than men to experience shortness of breath, nausea and back or jaw pain.