Is It A Heart Attack?

David Wahl MD MPH • July 17, 2026

Are these symptoms a Heart Attack?
Is it an Elephant or a Mouse?

I have had 2 cardiac emergencies—the symptoms I had were very different for each, and I want to share that with you.

My first cardiac event, age 42, was the classic elephant sitting on the chest… an intense pressure that took my breath away, left sided with an ache in the shoulder, it came and went for 10-15 minutes and resolved … but came back hours later and could not be ignored or explained away. This turned out to be a blockage of my main cardiac vessel— the LAD— that commonly leads to the “widow maker heart attack— I was lucky to have survived this.

My second event 14 years later was much different. It was mild, like a mouse with little feet walking on my left chest … 0.5 to 1 out of 10 sensation…definitely not a pain. Felt like carbonation, little bubbles under the skin, that came and went…. could have easily been ignored. Assessing and negotiating with myself throughout the day, because it was persistent and left sided, I decided to get it checked out. I now had 3 blocked blood vessels and would need heart surgery! Quite the surprise!

The American Heart Association (1) describes the most common heart attack symptoms as:

Chest discomfort.
Most people having a heart attack feel discomfort in the center of the chest. It can last more than a few minutes, or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body.
Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in the:
Arms (one or both)
Back
Neck
Jaw
Stomach
Shortness of breath.
This can happen with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs.
Breaking out in a cold sweat
Nausea
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Feeling unusually tired
Feeling lightheaded

The New York Times (2) through discussions with heart doctors notes, “They aren’t all sudden or intense.” The symptoms can be mild rather than severe— mouse vs elephant!

The sooner you consider the possibility that it could be your heart, the sooner you can get it checked out – and the sooner you get it checked out, the sooner you can get treated if needed. And if it’s not your heart – all the better, you now have peace of mind!

So, friends, my advice: Don’t let the symptoms fool you! Know your body, know your ailments and symptom patterns, and always think of caring for your heart.

— Keep Stayin’ Alive
David