A cardiologist has warned that arm or elbow pain could be a sign of a serious heart issue and needs immediate investigation. According to US-based Dr Emmanuel Isang, who shared the warning on TikTok, it could be a symptom of an impending heart attack, especially in women. “One of the things I don't think gets talked about enough is that not all chest pain presents the same way, specifically for women, because a lot of times, they're misrepresented or even under-represented when it comes to chest discomfort,” Dr Isang told followers.

“The reality is that they can have different symptoms when they're actually having a heart attack or when they're actually having significant issues with blockage.”

According to Dr Isang, most people have traditional beliefs about a heart blockage which causes a heart attack – usually meaning pain in the chest or shoulder. However, it can also extend to the arm or elbow, making it more serious. “It gets concerning when the pain is worse whenever they exert themselves, or it gets better with rest or medication called nitroglycerin. But a lot of times, women may not present that same way,” he said.

However, according to Dr Isang, for a heart blockage, elbow pain would also come along with a few other symptoms like breathlessness, fatigue, sweating, lightheadedness, and dizziness. While the symptoms could have multiple causes, they may signal that you need to seek medical care.

A heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction, is an extremely dangerous condition that happens because you do not have enough blood flow to some of your heart muscle. This lack of blood flow can occur because of many different factors but is usually related to a blockage in one or more of your heart’s arteries.

Experts say without blood flow, the affected heart muscle will begin to die. If you don’t get blood flow back quickly, a heart attack can cause permanent heart damage or death.

Heart attacks can have many symptoms, some of which are more common than others. Some of them include:

• Chest pain or angina
• Trouble breathing
• Trouble sleeping or insomnia
• Nausea and stomach discomfort
• Heart palpitations
• Anxiety or a feeling of “impending doom”
• Feeling lightheaded or passing out

Doctors say most men have different sets of heart attack symptoms. Women are less likely to have chest pain or discomfort that feels like indigestion. They are also more likely to have shortness of breath, fatigue, and insomnia that started before the heart attack. They also have nausea and vomiting or pain in their back, shoulders, neck, arms, or abdomen.

Risk factors for a heart attack include:

Your risk of heart attack increases as you get older. For men, the risk increases at age 45, and for women, it goes up at age 50 or after menopause.

If you have a parent or sibling with a history of heart disease – especially at a younger age – your risk is even greater.

Lifestyle choices you make that are not good for your heart can increase your risk of having a heart attack, including smoking, eating high-fat foods, lack of physical activity, and drinking too much alcohol.

Some health conditions put stress on your heart and increase your risk, like diabetes, obesity, and eating disorders.