Heart Attack Symptoms
Nov 07, 2022 By Madison Evans

Women are not exempt from experiencing heart attack symptoms; nevertheless, many women report experiencing ambiguous or even "silent" symptoms that are easy to overlook. Women often exhibit these six warning signs of a heart attack:

Ache Or Soreness In The Chest

Pain in the chest is the most typical sign of a heart attack, but women may feel it differently than men. The discomfort may be described as a squeezing or fullness and may be localized to any part of the chest rather than just the left side alone. According to cardiologist Rita Redberg, MD, head of Women's Cardiovascular Services at the University of California, San Francisco, heart attack symptoms are often described as being "really unpleasant." "It feels like a vice being tightened."

Discomfort In One Or More Of Your Arms, Back, Neck, Or Jaw

On average, women experience this kind of discomfort more often than men. It might be confusing for ladies who anticipate discomfort by concentrating on their chest and left arm rather than their back or jaw. The onset of the pain may be slow or abrupt, coming in waves before reaching its peak intensity. It has the potential to wake you up if you are already sleeping. According to a cardiologist in Los Angeles, you should report any symptoms that are "not typical or unexplained" in any part of your body above your waist to your doctor or another health care provider as soon as possible.

Aching In The Stomach

People often misdiagnose stomach discomfort as a warning sign of a heart attack caused by heartburn, illness, or a stomach ulcer. According to a cardiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, some women experience severe abdominal pressure that feels like an elephant sitting on their stomachs. Other times, women feel like an elephant is sitting on their stomachs.

Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, nausea, or lightheadedness. You may have a heart attack if you're having problems breathing for no obvious reason. This is particularly true if you're also experiencing one or more of the other symptoms of a heart attack. As Goldberg puts it, "it might seem like you have raced a marathon, but you didn't make a move."

Sweating

It is usual for women experiencing a heart attack to break out in a cold and worried sweat simultaneously. It will feel more like sweating due to stress than exercising or spending time outdoors in the heat. Bairey Merz recommends that you "Get it checked out" if you don't generally sweat so much and there isn't any other explanation for it, such as the heat or hot flushes.

Fatigue

Even though they haven't moved much or sat quietly for a long, some women who have heart attacks feel as if they haven't a single ounce of energy left in their bodies. Goldberg notes that patients often describe feeling fatigued in the chest as one of their symptoms. They claim they cannot do even the most basic tasks, such as walking to the restroom.

What Should NOT Be Done

If you have any of the following symptoms:

Don't Procrastinate Seeking Assistance

According to Rita F. Redberg, MD, MSc, FACC, head of Women's Cardiovascular Services at the UCSF Division of Cardiology in San Francisco, "Women in general wait longer than males before coming to the emergency department." Even if you believe that your symptoms aren't so severe or that they will go away on their own, the risks are still too high.

Don't Try To Get Yourself To The Hospital In Your Vehicle

It would help if you had an ambulance right now. If you drive, you run the risk of getting into an accident on the route, which might injure yourself or others. Do not ask a close friend or family member to drive you either. It's possible that you won't get there in time.

Don't Just Brush Off What You're Feeling

Goldberg advises, "Don't worry about feeling ridiculous if you're incorrect. It happens to the best of us." You really must have it checked out as soon as possible. According to Bairey Merz, people don't want to spend hours in an emergency room if it isn't a heart attack. "People don't want to spend hours in an emergency room," "But the reality is that women are skilled at determining what is normal for them and when they should seek medical attention. They claim they cannot do even the most basic tasks, such as walking to the restroom.

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