Getting to Know Women Heart Attack Symptoms

It has been found that men and women differ in how they suffer heart attacks. Many studies have reported that the typical symptom of chest pain and pressure often experienced by men is not so common in women heart attack symptoms.

Women heart attack symptoms are more unobtrusive and may often be mistaken for other disorders. These early symptoms of heart attack in women are generally ignored or underplayed by the women themselves. This leads to a situation where the treatment is sought only at the last minute.

Heart disease is the top cause of death of women in the United States (US). According to statistics provided by organisations affiliated to the US Department of Health, 460000 women suffer from heart attacks every year in the US.

Health organisations and celebrities have taken an initiative to promote awareness among the general public regarding women heart attack symptoms.

WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease is one such non-profit organisation, which seeks to alert women to their possible risk for heart disease and heart attacks. WomenHeart has partnered with well-known US television personality Joy Behar to spread the message on women heart attack symptoms.

Joy Behar and WomenHeart are urging women to find out what the risk factors in their lifestyles are to get a heart attack. They also encourage people to get information on how to recognise early symptoms of heart attack in women, which can go unnoticed.

Know Risk Factors for Heart Attacks in Women

Before getting know the heart attack symptoms in women, it is essential to get an idea about what are risk factors for a woman to get heart disease or suffer a heart attack.

Here are a few factors that put a woman at risk of getting heart disease. Those who face such risk factors, may be more likely to develop women heart attack symptoms.

• Smoking - Smokers are more at risk of getting Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and heart attacks. Smoking decreases High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) or the good cholesterol and reduces the blood flow to the heart. Women who combine smoking with intake of birth control pills have been found to be many times more at risk of having a heart attack or CHD.
• Reduced Estrogen - Hormones in women such as estrogen protects the heart by maintaining optimal levels of HDL. Reduced estrogen due to hormonal disturbances or due to menopause can put women at greater risk of heart attacks.
• Diabetes - A study conducted by Gentofte University Hospital, Denmark found that people with diabetes had double the risk of dying from heart attacks than those without diabetes.
• High Cholesterol and blood pressure - Increased levels of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), also known as bad cholesterol can cause plaques to build up in the heart, disrupting blood flow. High blood pressure can place more strain on already clogged arteries and lead to a heart attack.
• Family History of CHD - A close relative having experienced heart attacks also puts female relatives at risk of developing CHD and heart attacks.

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), having even one risk factor can double the chance of a woman getting a heart attack and experiencing women heart attack symptoms.

Early Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

After getting to know risk factors for heart disease and heart attacks, some early heart attack symptoms in women can be watched out for. This is important, as a lot of women do not experience the dramatic chest pain or pressure reported by men having heart attacks.

Heart attack symptoms in women can start some weeks before an actual heart attack. They are often mistaken for other conditions and may pass unnoticed.

Some early heart attack symptoms in women can be:

• Fatigue and weakness - Many women report being exceptional fatigued and weakness before a heart attack. They tend to ignore it, attributing it to age or lower fitness levels. According to studies, 71% of women from a sample reported having fatigue before a heart attack.
• Being short of breath - Most women just ignore this symptom or just think its because of exertion. Studies have shown that those who have shortness of breath as early heart attack symptoms in women are more likely to die from heart disease than those who don't have this symptom.
• Vomitting or nausea - Women heart attack symptoms such as indigestion, nausea and vomiting are misinterpreted as food poisoning or some stomach related problem. However, it may be an early silent symptom of heart attack.
• Disturbed sleep patterns - Around half the women who have heart attacks are said to have experienced disturbed sleep in the weeks prior to their heart attack.
• Anxiety - Women may also experience feelings of pronounced anxiety, uneasiness or sense of foreboding before a heart attack.

Acute Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

Apart from early symptoms of heart attack in women, stronger and more obvious heart attack symptoms in women include:

• Pain in arm, back or chest - Majority of women do not report acute pressure or pain in the chest as a heart attack symptom, unlike men. Women heart attack symptoms include milder pain and pain in the arms, jaw, neck and back.
• Sweating - A heart attack victim may break out in cold sweat, even though it may be a warm day or there has been no matching exertion.
• Feeling Faint - Dizziness combined with shortness of breath can indicate the onset of a heart attack.

Women heart attack symptoms may start appearing even months before the actual attack. Women, who are traditional caregivers, should watch out for their own health by being aware of the risk factors and symptoms of heart attacks. Recognising risk factors and heart attack symptoms, women should get immediate medical help and start treatment.