The sooner you recognise the signs of a heart attack and seek treatment, the higher the chance you'll have a full recovery.
Heart of Australia's cardiologist Rob Perel says to look out for chest pain.
"The first one is pain, chest pain. And the chest pain, if it's an acute heart attack, will be severe and unrelenting. It will usually be present on the left side of the chest, but it can be more central. The pain will radiate through the jaw and down the left arm. That's one type of chest pain. There's another one called angina where the person get a more chronic version of the same pain and it's also due to a coronary artery disease, but it's not an acute heart attack. That can be pain that is worst when you walk and better when you rest and it's in the same place."
Other symptoms include having a choking sensation in your throat, feeling like your arms are heavy, shortness of breath, nausea, cold sweats and feeling dizzy.
Both cardiologists we spoke to insisted that the first thing to do when you're having a heart attack is to call triple zero (000) for an ambulance.
In Australia, half of the men and a third of the women over the age of 45 will suffer from heart disease at some point in their life.
Those numbers are high, but the good news is that it's generally avoidable.
Rob Perel says the key is to having a healthy lifestyle.
"You're at an increased risk of heart attack if you're a smoker, if you're overweight, if you don't do any exercise, if you have high cholesterol, if you have high blood pressure and if you have diabetes. Also if you have a strong family history of arterial coronary disease. So the answer to how I avoid a heart attack is: don't smoke, maintain a normal body weight, exercise, eat healthy food and avoid excess cholesterol in your diet. If you have high blood pressure, that needs to be treated. If you have diabetes, that needs to be very well managed."
During Heart Week, starting on 30 April, the Heart Foundation wants to remind Australians about the importance of having a healthy heart.
The chances of suffering a heart attack are much smaller if you lead a healthy life.
But if it happens to you or somebody around you, remember the signs and act fast.
For more information visit The Heart Foundation
Heart Week
Information about heart attacks in your language
