Chest pain is the classic signal of heart failure, but that can also feel like pressure, tightness, squeezing or burning. Other symptoms might also be part of an attack in a woman.

• shortness of breath
• nausea or vomiting
• arm or shoulder pain, usually left-sided but may be right-sided
• pain in neck, jaw, back or abdomen
• fatigue

Preventing a heart attack
A healthy diet, appropriate weight and daily exercise routine reduce your chances of heart disease. Other steps to take include:

• know your family's heart health history
• check your blood pressure regularly
• check your cholesterol at age 20 and every five years afterwards
• childhood obesity and diabetes raise the risk for heart disease at a young age
• don't smoke
• be physically active--aim for 30 minutes every day of moderate intensity exercise

Diagnostic Tests to Consider
Sometimes, more than one test is necessary to determine if you have heart disease. The options include:

• blood test
• an EKG to measure the heart's electrical activity
• chest x-ray, echocardiography, MRI, CT
• a stress test measure your heart at work