By Hannah Ahmed
A doctor has shared the crucial signs of a heart attack UK households should be aware of. Dr Chris Kelly explained three significant symptoms which could suggest you are having a heart attack, with the expert stressing the importance of going straight to hospital if any of the signs are present. A heart attack is caused by the blood supply to the heart being “suddenly interrupted,” according to the NHS . The health body added: “Without this supply, heart muscles may be damaged and begin to die.” There are two main causes of a heart attack, according to the NHS website, with Coronary Heart Disease and lack of oxygen (hypoxia) pinpointed. READ MORE: NHS warns over first sign of ‘silent killer’ which ‘might not seem like much’ Expert, Dr Kelly, chair of cardiology at UNC Rex Hospital in North Carolina, explained three signs of a heart attack which are crucial to look out for, explaining one symptom which is generally believed to be ‘less common,’ BristolLive reported. He spoke out about heart attacks on Instagram: “The first sign of a possible heart attack is the most classic sign of them all and that’s chest pain. Sometimes its described as chest pressure, tightness or fullness, or just aching. “If you’re having anything in your chest that feels uncomfortable and it’s not getting better after a few minutes, especially if it’s also going into your shoulders, arms or jaw, that’s a really concerning sign and you need to get to an emergency room right away.” He added a sudden onset of breath could also be a sign of a heart attack, explaining: “If you’re not really doing anything but you feel like you’ve just run a mile, it could be a sign that your heart is struggling to function properly and fluid is backing up into your lungs. “So if you get sudden onset shortness of breath, get straight to an emergency room for further evaluation.” The doctor continued, stating there is one sign which could be confused with another medical problem – abdominal pain and nausea. He said: “The third sign of a possible heart attack is actually abdominal pain and nausea. Now, a lot of things can cause that but if you have risk factors for heart disease and you’re over the age of 50, and you have sudden onset belly pain and nausea, and you just don’t feel right, that actually could be a sign of a heart attack – and this is particularly common in women so if you experience that and it doesn’t get better within a few minutes, get straight to the emergency room.” READ MORE: P harmacist issues heatwave warning to anyone who takes these five medications Dr Kelly stressed how getting to a hospital and receiving treatment is crucial when a heart attack occurs, explaining how: “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” Symptoms of a heart attack, according to the NHS: The health body added: “The chest pain is often severe, but some people may only experience minor pain, similar to indigestion. “While the most common symptom is chest pain, symptoms can vary from person to person. Some people may have other symptoms such as shortness of breath, feeling or being sick and back or jaw pain without any chest pain.”