Yes! I'm so glad you asked this question. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in women and it is the most preventable cause of death.
Women actually DO have different heart attack symptoms than men, but the men's symptoms are the ones that are most heavily publicized.
The biggest gender difference: Women are more likely to experience nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, back or jaw pain and anxiety as symptoms that indicate a heart attack.
From the American Heart Association (AHA):
"Most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:
* Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
* Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
* Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
* Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness"
In fact, your question is very timely! There was a study published last week in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association that found:
1) Women are twice as likely as men to die if hospitalized for a type of heart attack known as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
2) Women are also less likely to receive appropriate and timely treatment for heart attack.
The Heart Truth Campaign is another great resource for women:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/index.htm
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Yes! I'm so glad you asked this question. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in women and it is the most preventable cause of death.
Women actually DO have different heart attack symptoms than men, but the men's symptoms are the ones that are most heavily publicized.
The biggest gender difference:
Women are more likely to experience nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, back or jaw pain and anxiety as symptoms that indicate a heart attack.
From the American Heart Association (AHA):
"Most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:
* Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
* Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
* Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
* Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness"
In fact, your question is very timely! There was a study published last week in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association that found:
1) Women are twice as likely as men to die if hospitalized for a type of heart attack known as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
2) Women are also less likely to receive appropriate and timely treatment for heart attack.
The Heart Truth Campaign is another great resource for women:
December 16, 2008 - 3:59pmhttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/index.htm
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