x
Heart attacks when comparing the sexes. While men typically suffer suffocating chest pain, women suffer far more subtle symptoms that are often ignored until it’s too late.
10 Heart Attack Symptoms Every Woman Should Know
Symptoms in Women
Women experience heart attack symptoms differently than men and most experience many more than the classic chest pain and numbness down the arm. It is essential to know all of the indications related to a heart attack -- recognizing the signs early can lead to life-saving intervention.
1. Chest Pain
Some people describe chest pain experienced during a heart attack as an "elephant sitting on the chest." However, this pain can manifest differently depending on the person experiencing it. Others explain it as a sensation similar to heartburn, or indeterminate but extreme pain. The chest pain will last for more than a few minutes when associated with a heart attack. Strong sensation in the left or center of the chest could be a sign of a heart attack, especially if it is associated with other symptoms on this list.
2. Nausea
Nausea is the feeling of being sick to your stomach or needing to vomit. In heart attack cases, women experience this symptom more than men and often assume they have a gastrointestinal virus. Nausea can be caused by so many different illnesses that it is easy to overlook this symptom of a heart attack in women.
3. Anxiety
Anxiety is a common symptom of a heart attack, the feeling as if something is wrong but one can't quite identify what it is. Some women also experience panic attacks and feel as though the room is closing in or their chest is being compressed, making it difficult to breathe. Though heart attacks are not the only culprit, such anxiety will often seem to come on without cause.
4. Stomach Pain
Some heart attack symptoms such as stomach pain can be mistaken for indigestion and therefore might be ignored until more serious indicators are noticed. If stomach pain accompanies other symptoms such as chest pain, seeking medical attention is recommended.
Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease in Men
Risk factors for heart disease
Many men are at high risk of developing heart disease. The AHA reported in 2013 that only a quarter of men met federal guidelines for physical activity in 2011. They also estimated that 72.9 percent of U.S. men age 20 and older are overweight or obese. And about 20 percent of men smoke, which can cause the blood vessels to narrow. Narrowed blood vessels are a precursor to certain types of heart disease.
Other risk factors include:
a diet high in saturated fat
alcohol abuse or excessive drinking
high cholesterol
diabetes
hypertension (high blood pressure)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, nearly half of all Americans — both men and women — have three or more risk factors for heart disease.
Early signs of heart disease
The first sign of heart disease is often a heart attack or other serious event. But, there are a few important signs that can help you recognize problems before they come to a head.
In the early stages, symptoms that seem like mere annoyances may come and go. For example, you may have heart arrhythmias, which can cause:
difficulty catching your breath after moderate physical exertion, like walking up a flight of stairs
a sense of discomfort or squeezing in your chest that lasts for 30 minutes to a few hours
unexplained pain in your upper torso, neck, and jaw
a heartbeat that is faster, slower, or more irregular than usual
dizziness or fainting
Heart disease that involves your blood vessels is often signaled by:
angina (chest pain)
shortness of breath
changes in your extremities, such as pain, swelling, tingling, numbness, coldness, and weakness
extreme fatigue
irregular heartbeat
These symptoms can be signs that your blood vessels have narrowed. This narrowing, which can be caused by plaque buildup, makes it more difficult for your heart to circulate oxygenated blood throughout your body.
In addition to the above symptoms, heart disease caused by an infection of the heart can include dry cough, fever, and skin rashes.
A cluster of risk factors may also signal impending heart disease. For example, your risk of heart disease significantly increases if you have diabetes and high blood pressure.
For more info on Heart Systoms for Women:
For more info on Mens Heart Risk Factors
