What to do about symptoms of a pending heart attack?

thanks for the advice. we're at the hospital now.

Do what I did -- don't go to the emergency room, esp if you can't afford it and stuff. And http://metatalk.metafilter.com/20272/Vague-medical-AskMe-questions#855514 from the friggin heart attacks that surely did attack me. Don't fuck around. Call 911 unless you're way away from a city or extremely close to a hospital, that way if he croaks on the way to the hospital he is at least with people who can save his life. Otherwise, shove an aspirin into his head and jam him in your car and GO RIGHT NOW!

No matter how incredibly inconvenient going to the hospital right now might be, it's still significantly less inconvenient than maybe dying.

heart is apparently ok for now but they suspect it could be something else :( Still in the process of finding out. Thank you all, so much, for the support & sense... it's funny; if someone else had posted the question I would have thought it was a no-brainer to head to the emergency room immediately... but somehow it was/is a lot harder to think straight when immersed in the actual situation. Once again, thank you for the prompt replies... seeing all of them say the same thing helped reinforce the decision. Thanks.

You have symptoms of a pending heart attack imminent death?! Get help immediately!

There are zero people who will tell you waiting (even until "later") is even an option for heart attack symptoms. You need to call 911 or go immediately to the nearest emergency room. Anything that might be ruined by going to the hospital are going to really be ruined by someone dying. Seriously. Because what happens after symptoms of an impending heart attack is, well, a heart attack. And those usually kill people if they aren't, say, on their way to the hospital in an ambulance. If this person suddenly passes out before you get medical attention, check for breathing, and if it's stopped, start chest compressions immediately (paced to the beat of staying alive by the bee gees), pressing on the sternum (middle of the chest) while someone else dials 911.

What to do while waiting? You mean for the ambulance to show up? You make them read http://metatalk.metafilter.com/20272#855514. TAKE THEM TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. Please. Immediately.

Five minutes of 'I don't know if I want to actually go to the hospital' almost killed my friend. Luckily, he's still alive two months later, although he still has a-fib issues. This is literally what emergency rooms are designed for.

You did the right thing for sure. Thank you for following up--I hope everything turns out OK.