A heart attack is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. If something doesn’t feel right, pay attention to the signs and listen to your body. When it comes to a heart attack, every second matters. In the absence of quick treatment, heart attacks can be deadly or cause major damage to the heart. Even if your symptoms don’t seem particularly serious, if you think there might be a possibility you’re having a heart attack, you shouldn’t hesitate to dial 911 immediately.

You should call 911 instead of trying to drive yourself to the hospital; that way, medics can begin treatment immediately once they arrive. Emergency medical personnel will treat you as though you are having a heart attack as a precautionary measure until the required tests have been performed.

A heart attack is literally a matter of life and death.