PETOSKEY, MI -- More than a million Americans a year find out that the symptoms of a heart attack are intense, just as Michigan State Football Coach Mark Dantonio did early Sunday morning.

Doctors at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital say Dantonio noticed the warning signs and did the right thing.

Dantonio had chest pain early Sunday morning shortly after making a fake-field goal call that would give MSU the win in overtime.  He went to the hospital in a timely fashion and found out he had experienced a mild heart attack.

Cardiologists at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital say that Coach Dantonio did the right thing by seeking immediate attention, not ignoring the fact that his chest hurt, possibly preventing major problems in the long run.

"It is important to get in right way.  There have been studies done that show typically people wait too long to get care, often times, several hours," said Cardiologist Dr. Harry Colfer.

The reason?  Doctor Harry Colfer says most of the time, people don't know what's going on.  But he says there are several warning signs.  Aside from chest pain, you could have pain in your back, shoulders, arms, or even jaw.  You also may experience symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, break out in a sweat, or dizziness.

“The longer you wait with a heart attack, the more likely you are to have heart damage that can't be reversed, so it's important to get treatment started early," said Dr. Colfer.

Dr. Colfer says if you have pain for more than a few minutes, particularly with the symptoms I mentioned earlier, call 911, because ambulances can begin initial treatment on the way to the hospital.

Even though Dantonio experienced a minor heart attack, doctors say his decision to go to the hospital and react to the warning sign could be good for the long term because it’s an opportunity to begin preventative care.