Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

Facts about Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

If you are a woman, you may not believe the fact that you are also as susceptible to heart attack as man. Women reportedly comprise almost half of heart attack mortality. Heart illness is the primary killer of both men and women. It is important to know the heart attack symptoms in women.


How would you know if you are suffering from heart attack or stomach indigestion? There are certain early warning signs and heart attack symptoms in women. Women may experience all, some, or none of these symptoms. The doctor who will examine you can only confirm that you have experienced heart attack by running some tests like electrocardiogram (EKG) and/or blood test.

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

There are various heart attack symptoms in women. Some women experience a number of symptoms while others suffer all heart attack symptoms in women. There are women who don’t show any symptoms before the heart attack. The earlier you identify your symptoms and take proper action, the better. These are the heart attack symptoms in women you should be aware of:

Chest discomfort, tightness, uncomfortable pressure, squeezing in the center of the chest that could last more than a few minutes, or come and goes.

Crushing chest pain

Pain that radiates to the shoulder, neck, upper black, jaw or arms

Dizziness

Clammy sweats, heart flutters, or paleness

Unexplained anxiety, fatigue or weakness

Stomach or abdominal discomfort

Shortness of breath and difficulty of breathing

Others misguidedly believe that only crushing chest pain is a heart attack symptoms in women that’s why they tend to delay seeking for medical help. Others have also found out that some health care providers have failed to identify heart attack symptoms in women by attributing the source of symptoms to other health problems like indigestion. That is why it is vital to insist to the doctor or nurse to do EKG test or an enzyme blood test to confirm if you are having heart attack. Don’t be hesitant- it’s your life.

Some heart attack symptoms in women are not observable during the attack. Only EKG and blood enzyme test could detect this “silent” attack. These “silent” attacks are hazardous because it would reduce the heart’s ability to survive another heart attack. That’s why you should be more vigilant about it.

Common Excuses of Women

Even if there are already heart attack symptoms in women, they tend to delay seeking medical help than men. These are some of the reasons:

More often, they are not aware about heart attack symptoms in women

They mistakenly believe that crushing chest pain is the only heart attack symptom

They falsely believe that only men and elders are vulnerable to heart attacks.

They are pre-occupied with too many responsibilities in the family and don’t want to impose their needs on others.

They easily get depressed, fatalistic about their health or would even resign to suffering.

If you experience heart attack symptoms, do not delay. Bear in mind, minutes or even seconds matter! Do not wait for more than 5 minutes to call 911. Your family will be much grateful if you seek fast action.