Warning Signs of a Heart Attack in Men
Medically reviewed by Anthony Pearson, MD
A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when blood flow to your heart becomes blocked. It is caused by a blood clot in your coronary arteries, which provide blood to your heart.
While people of any sex can have a heart attack, men have a higher risk of having one than women. Learning the unique way a heart attack affects men can help you know when to call 911 for lifesaving help for yourself or someone else.
Men often have problems that involve chest discomfort, upper body pain, shortness of breath, and/or cold sweats that can also affect women. They may also have other signs (proof of a disease that others can detect) and symptoms (an issue that a person with a disease feels) that differ from those that affect women.
This article describes heart attack symptoms and signs in men. It also includes details about the reasons men have a higher risk of having this problem.
Language Usage
The word "men" used in this article refers to people typically assigned male at birth. The term "women" refers here to people typically assigned female at birth. We recognize that not all people who identify as men have the same anatomy as used here for that term.
Photo composite by Michela Buttignol for Verywell Health; Getty Images
Heart Attack Symptoms in Men
Heart attack symptoms in men include conditions that affect people of any sex as well as additional factors that occur more often in men. When you have these symptoms, a heart attack feels like something is physically wrong. Knowing that these conditions are symptoms of a heart attack in men can help you recognize the severity of your problem and seek immediate help.
Heart attack symptoms in men can include the following:
Chest pressure, pain, or discomfort that occurs in the center of your chest, lasting for more than a few minutes or in a cycle of occurring, subsiding, and returning (this is the most common heart attack symptom in all sexes)
Dizziness
Arrhythmia (rapid or irregular heartbeat)
Dyspnea (shortness of breath) with or without chest discomfort
Pain, stiffness, or numbness in an area above your waist, such as one or both arms, your back, neck, jaw, or stomach
The following symptoms of a heart attack are also common in men:
Pain in your left arm
Breaking out in a cold sweat
Stomach discomfort or indigestion
Related: Everything You Need to Know About a Heart Attack
Mini or Silent Heart Attack
Not all heart attacks create the same symptoms. Some heart attacks produce symptoms that trigger minor or less severe effects than the intense chest pain of a traditional heart attack. Heart attack pain does not have to be constant; it can occur, stop, and then return.
Heart attacks that do not produce traditional intense chest pain include the following:
Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI): An NSTEMI heart attack occurs when blood flow through one of your major coronary arteries is partially blocked. This mini heart attack limits the supply of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle but typically does not cause severe heart damage.
Silent myocardial infarction (SMI): In some cases, a heart attack can occur with unrecognized symptoms or no symptoms at all. Called a silent heart attack, it accounts for between 20% and 50% of all heart attacks.
Heart attack symptoms may be overlooked or mistaken for other conditions. They can even resolve on their own if the clot dissolves or becomes dislodged. However, they can cause irreversible damage and increase your risk of a traditional heart attack.
Contact a healthcare provider if you have any of these symptoms:
Prolonged weakness or fatigue
Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
General discomfort or unease
Unexplained sweating
Nausea or vomiting
Light-headedness or dizziness
Mild pain in your throat or chest
Pain in your back or arms, similar to a sprained or pulled muscle
Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest
While a heart attack and cardiac arrest are both medical emergencies, they are different conditions, as follows:
A heart attack is caused by a blockage of the blood flow to your heart. It typically causes radiating pain, feeling faint, and neck or jaw discomfort.
Cardiac arrest occurs when your heart stops beating due to a malfunction in its electrical system. It results in a sudden loss of consciousness, lack of pulse, and stoppage of breathing. It can occur after a heart attack (or during recovery from one) or in other heart conditions.
If you or someone you are with shows signs of a heart attack or cardiac arrest, call 911 immediately. If the person is unresponsive and is not breathing, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until professional emergency technicians arrive.
911 Heart Attack Signs to Not Ignore in Men
When someone is having a heart attack, minutes matter. The longer treatment is delayed, the more damage will likely affect the heart. If you see signs of a heart attack in someone nearby, do not delay in calling 911 to initiate emergency care.
Every heart attack does not involve sudden, severe chest pain, as is often shown in the movies. Warning signs of a heart attack can begin gradually and then become more intense. Call 911 for the following heart attack signs that should not be ignored in men:
Angina (chest discomfort, pain, or pressure) that occurs in the center of your chest. This pain can last longer than a few minutes or occur and then go away. The person having this pain may describe it as a sensation of fullness, squeezing, pain, or uncomfortable pressure.
Discomfort or pain in the jaw, neck, back, stomach, or one or both arms.
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
Breaking out in a cold sweat
Nausea/vomiting
Light-headedness or syncope (fainting)
Related: Heart Attack Symptoms in Women
Average Age of Heart Attack in Men
The average age of a first heart attack in men in the United States is 65. However, a heart attack can happen to anyone at any age. Between 4% and 10% of all heart attacks in the United States occur before age 45, primarily among men.
Heart attacks have a similar cause across age groups. Among older men, almost all heart attacks are caused by atherosclerotic blockages in coronary arteries (coronary artery disease). This also accounts for about 80% of heart attacks in young adults.
Reasons Men Have an Increased Risk of Heart Attack
Research indicates that men are about twice as likely as women to have a heart attack throughout their lifetimes. This risk persists even after consideration of traditional risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity.
Advanced age and a family history of heart disease can increase anyone's risk of having a heart attack. The following factors may contribute to men having an increased risk of heart attack versus women.
Hypertension
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a leading risk for heart disease and heart attacks. Research indicates that men tend to have a higher prevalence of high blood pressure than women do until menopause.
There is also evidence that men have less awareness of high blood pressure than women. Together, this means that men may be living with uncontrolled high blood pressure and its damage to their blood vessels for longer periods.
Stress Response
Men may be more likely to experience types of stress responses that increase their risk of heart disease. Research indicates that middle-aged men who worry a lot have a higher chance of developing heart attack risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease as they age.
Researchers also report that men who experience psychosocial stressors at work, like job strain and an imbalance between the effort and rewards received can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
Smoking
Smoking is a key risk factor for heart disease because it can cause blood vessels to narrow. Typically, men tend to use tobacco products at higher rates than women. In 2021, 11.5% of U.S. adults smoked cigarettes, including 13.1% of men and 10.1% of women.
Physical Activity
Research indicates that the lifetime risk of coronary heart disease with regard to physical activity in men is 36.2% for poor physical activity and 31.6% for recommended physical activity in men. Only about 25% of U.S. men meet the federal guidelines for physical activity.
Men can reduce their risk of a heart attack by taking the following steps to address these and other modifiable risk factors for heart disease:
Know your blood pressure. Talk to a healthcare provider about ways to lower your blood pressure if you are at risk of high blood pressure.
Discuss your risk of diabetes and the need for testing with a healthcare provider. Diabetes is a leading risk factor for heart disease that can be controlled with proper treatment.
Quit smoking. If you don't smoke, don't start.
Ask a healthcare provider about testing your cholesterol and triglyceride levels to determine your risk of high cholesterol.
Establish and maintain a healthy weight.
Eat a healthy diet.
Lower your stress level. Explore stress-relieving techniques such as meditation and yoga.
Follow guidelines for recommended levels of physical activity. For adults, this includes getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening activity weekly.
Related: Heart Disease Causes and Risk Factors
Summary
A heart attack is a medical emergency. It is caused by a blockage in your coronary arteries, which provide blood to your heart. The longer an affected person goes without blood flow to the heart, the more damage is likely to occur. Getting fast treatment can help maintain your health and save your life.
Anyone can have a heart attack, but the problem does not have the same impact on everyone. Common issues involve chest pain, upper body pain, shortness of breath, and/or dizziness.
If you have these symptoms or see these signs in someone else, call 911 as fast as possible. This can support the best outcomes of any heart event.
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