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February 2016 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
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It is important
for women to
learn about and
be aware of the
risk factors of
heart disease.
Heart Attack
Symptoms Differ in
Women, Men
By Harleena Singh, Staff Writer
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer
of women in the United States.
Heart attacks occur when the blood
flow to the heart is blocked by a
buildup of plaque in the coronary
arteries. A heart attack strikes
someone about every 43 seconds in
America.
The symptoms of heart attack
are different in women and men.
Women do not always experience
crushing chest pain that radiates
down one arm, as men often do.
When they have a heart attack,
both men and women usually
experience similar chest pressure,
although women can have a heart
attack without chest pressure. Many
women experience “silent” or vague
symptoms. Nausea, jaw pain and
pressure are all symptoms of a heart
attack in women, though they are
also symptoms women often brush
off as stress, the flu or simply feeling unwell. Though these symp-
toms seem subtle, the consequences
could be deadly if the victim does
not get help right away.
Other symptoms of heart attack
in women include:
1. Chest pain. This is the most
common heart attack symptom. In
women, it may feel like a fullness
or squeezing, and the pain can be
anywhere in the chest, not just on
the left side.
2. Shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or nausea. You could
be having a heart attack if you’re
having trouble breathing for no
apparent reason, especially if you’re
also having one or more other
symptoms.
3. Fatigue. Some women often
complain of tiredness and say they
cannot do simple activities, such as
walking. They feel extremely tired
even if they are sitting still without
moving much.
4. Sweating. Women who are hav-
ing a heart attack often break out in
a nervous, cold sweat, which feels
more like stress-related sweating
than perspiration.
5. Stomach pain. Some people
may mistake stomach pain indicating a heart attack with the flu, a
stomach ulcer or heartburn. Other
times, women experience severe
abdominal pressure.
6. Pain in the neck, ja