Heart Attacks Kill Women Too: How To Recognize The Symptoms

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear "heart attack"? You are probably thinking of a middle-aged man who smokes, has high-cholesterol levels and leads a stressful life. Let's look beyond the stereotype. Over 920,000 Americans will have a heart attack this year, and 435,000 of those will be women. Six times more women will die from heart attacks than breast cancer, and heart attacks that happen to women under 50 are twice as likely to be fatal than those that happen to their male peers. 

Are you surprised? Now that you know heart attacks can strike just about anyone, there's another twist that you should be aware of. You've seen how a man complains of chest pain and pain in his left arm only to fall on the ground in the media. Chest pain and pain that radiates to the left arm can indeed be symptoms of a heart attack, but they're not the only ones. In fact, women are more likely to experience different symptoms.

Heart Attack Symptoms In Women

Why are women under 50 much more likely to die from a heart attack than men in the same age group? The reasons are complex. Among them are some that we can fix relatively easily. Because the symptoms of heart attack may differ from the stereotypical symptoms everyone thinks they're familiar with, they may not be recognized. Women, their loved ones, and even doctors may attribute these symptoms to completely different things like the flu or exhaustion. When symptoms don't seem to point to a heart attack, women are also more likely to keep on going rather than seeing a doctor. 

• Pressure in the chest. It may feel like squeezing, fullness, pressure, pain, or discomfort. This sensation may occur anywhere in the chest, but often happens in the center rather than on the left side. It lasts for a while, or may come and go. 
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, in the neck, back, or jaw. 
• Stomach pain that may feel like heartburn. 
• Shortness of breath. 
• Cold sweat, nausea, feeling light-headed, and fatigue.

See Also: How Much Do You Know About Heart Attack?

It is important to keep in mind that not everyone will experience all of these symptoms. Reacting quickly saves lives. If you or anyone you know has chest pain — particularly in combination with some or all of the other symptoms — don't brush it off as "nothing". Call the emergency services. Don't wait longer than five minutes. 

What You Can Do To Prevent A Heart Attack

Being able to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack can make the difference between life and death. Many women aren't aware that a heart attack is more than a very remote possibility for them. Many heart attacks can be prevented by making healthy lifestyle choices.

A Healthy Diet

A heart-healthy diet should include whole-grains and multi-grains, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids (avocado, olive oil, flax seeds, fatty fish). A healthy diet isn't just about what you do eat, though. It's also about what you don't. You already know what you should be avoiding — fried foods, high-fat processed meats, sugary foods, saturated oils, margerine and shortening. Now that you are more aware that women can have heart attacks too, you just need to grab the opportunity and take a critical look at your diet. 

Exercise Regularly

Increase your cardiovascular health by committing to regular physical activity. That means every day, at least 30 minutes a day. That's a minimum, not a maximum. By exercising every day, women reduce their risk of coronary heart disease by 30 to 40 percent. Physical activity also helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, improves your circulation, and keeps your weight under control. 

If you're currently smoking, you should definitely quit if you want to improve your cardiovascular health. Exercise is a great way to take your mind off your former addiction. 

Stop Smoking

Did you know that smoking a packet of cigarettes a day doubles your risk of having a heart attack? Right — smoking doesn't "just" give you a chance of lung cancer at some point in the future! You could die from your nasty habit right now.  Don't think that you can continue smoking now because you're already doomed anyway. The good news is that your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke starts to come down right after you quit smoking. Within a year, that risk can drop by as much as half. If you are a smoker, commit to stopping. 

See Also: How to prevent the heart attack?

Find Out If You're At Risk

Find out more about the state of your cardiovascular health by getting a medical checkup. You want to check:

• Your blood pressure
• Your blood glucose levels
• Your blood lipids

If you have high blood pressure, raised blood glucose, or elevated cholesterol and lipid levels, management and treatment plans can help you bring down your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.