London: If someone is having a heart attack, immediate medical assistance typically within an hour of the attack increases the patient’s chances of survival by three times. Most women either don’t recognize or tend to brush off the symptoms of a heart attack, at least partly due to anxiety over the possibility of being a “false alarm”.

While taking that extra step to get immediate medical attention might seem scary, it could very literally be the difference between life and death. Hence, it’s not a decision you want to leave to your insecurities. Compiled from Self magazine, here is a list of seven symptoms all women, old and young, should watch out for.

Heart Attack Symptoms You Should Not Ignore

1. Chest discomfort:

An uneasy feeling in your chest could include pain, tightness, squeezing, or pressure. The most common symptom among men and women is chest discomfort, says Sharonne Hayes, a cardiologist and founder of the Mayo Clinic’s Women’s Heart Clinic. But that discomfort isn’t always the stabbing pain we usually see depicted in movies. In women especially, it may be more likely to manifest as a sense of pressure or tightness, explains Hayes.

2. Pain or discomfort that radiates into the jaw, shoulder, neck, back, or either arm

That chest pain may not always be felt in the center of the chest either—it can be on the left or right sides, or even in the upper abdomen or back, reveals Dr. Nieca Goldberg. “When it’s lower in the chest many mistakes for a stomach ailment.” It can also radiate to your shoulders, jaw, neck, or your left or right arm. “We want patients to remember that anything above the waist could be the heart.”

3. Shortness of breath, especially if it’s new:

Although not everyone gets the classic symptoms, Dr. Goldberg says many have mild heart attack symptoms and warning signs up to six weeks before the actual attack that may go unnoticed. For instance, you might notice that you’re getting winded earlier in your workouts than usual without an obvious explanation. At that point, check-in with your doctor to figure out what’s going on.

They’ll evaluate your other heart disease risk factors, including taking your blood pressure and drawing blood for a cholesterol and glucose test. If there aren’t any obviously concerning test results but you are still concerned, your doctor might also give you a stress test in which you’ll walk on a treadmill and get your blood pressure taken every few minutes.