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There are other very typical symptoms of a heart attack that have nothing to do with chest pain or pressure. These are signs that may or may not appear with chest discomfort. Along with chest pressure, significant shortness of breath and nausea are also common in many heart attacks, Dr. Cho says. Shortness of breath, also called dyspnea, is often felt before any chest pain. You may find yourself unable to take a deep breath, or you may feel like you cant catch your breath. You may pant or take rapid breaths, trying to fill your lungs.