Heart attack warning signs can be different in women

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2016) – Shortness of breath, nausea, anxiety, back or jaw pain. If a woman has these symptoms, she may be having a heart attack.

While there have been significant advances in heart disease research and treatment, women are still at a higher risk for dying from heart attacks. The American Heart Association recently issued an important warning about the differences between heart attack signs and their underlying causes in women. Heart attacks in women don’t always feel like the typical chest pain more often experienced by men. Not knowing the symptoms can delay treatment, making heart disease more deadly for women.

Women and their loved ones need to know what a heart attack looks like so they can get treatment fast. While chest pain and discomfort is a common heart attack symptom in both men and women, women are more likely to experience other signs too, according to the American Heart Association:

• Pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
• As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly.

If someone experiences any of these warning signs, dial 9-1-1 immediately.

Causes of heart attacks in women can differ from men too. Understanding the cause of women’s heart attacks is critical to prescribing the best treatment and increases their chance of surviving and preventing another heart attack. Women more often have underlying risk factors like diabetes or high blood pressure and their blood vessels tend to be smaller. Yet, guideline-recommended medications and cardiac rehabilitation are not prescribed as often for women.

Unfortunately, some women are in more danger than others. Black women of any age have a higher incidence of heart attacks of all women. And black and Hispanic women more often have related risk factors like diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure compared to non-Hispanic white women.

Heart disease continues to be the number one killer for women, with more deaths each year than all forms of cancer combined. Prevention and treatment can be effective in reducing the chance of having or dying from a heart attack. If a woman has risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, is a smoker, or has a personal or family history of heart disease, consider talking to a physician. Women too often sacrifice their health to take care of others. This month, make women’s heart health a priority.

Attend the lecture “Heart Failure: What You Need to Know” at 5 p.m. on Feb. 24 at Bayfront Health Port Charlotte, Conference Center, 2500 Harbor Blvd. to learn the signs, symptoms and treatment options for heart failure. And learn how a healthy diet and lifestyle can play a crucial role in reducing heart disease, heart attacks and stroke at the seminar “Nutrition and Heart Disease” hosted by cardiologist Jaimela Dulaney, M.D. at 5 p.m. on March 31 at Bayfront Health Port Charlotte. Please call 941-637-2497 to reserve your seat at either of these free events.