How To Identify Heart Attack Symptoms In Women?

Heart attack symptoms in women can easily ignored at the initial stages because the symptoms show up differently.

The symptoms of heart attack that one experiences may differ significantly from the experiences of others.

Recent research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reveals that women often undergo several different physical symptoms from a month or more prior to experiencing heart attack.

According to the women heart attacks survival statistics, heart attack is the third leading cause of death in women between the ages of 25-44. It is the second leading cause of death in women between the ages of 45-64.

How heart attack occurs?

Heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction (MI), is an event that results in severe form of pain in the heart muscle (myocardium) and signs that a part of the heart is damaging or dying.

The pain usually develops with decrease in oxygen supply to one or more regions of the heart muscles, which is the resultant of blocked blood flow to the heart muscle.

The blockage of blood flow generally occurs with the deposition of plaque (known as cholesterol) or other fatty substances, and a blood clot in a heart artery, where it reduces or interrupts the blood and oxygen to a specific division of the heart.

On the other hand, a small piece of plaque can rupture and forms a blood clot around it within the artery, blocking the flow of blood and oxygen.

In either case, oxygen supply lacks and the portion of the heart muscle starts to die — result is the pain of a heart attack.

So, to protect yourself from the severe pain of a heart attack, gain knowledge about the symptoms of heart attack.

Warning signs of heart attack in women – Early signs

The heart attack symptoms in women usually start to show up in the early stages. The most common sign of a heart attack is some form of pain or discomfort in the chest, which may spread to the arms, shoulder, or neck.

Women with heart attack may develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, anxiety, sleep disturbances, unusual fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting. A few women may experience no symptoms prior to a heart attack.

Most of the women disregard these symptoms or consider as some benign medical conditions such as stress, anxiety, or effects of aging process and ignore doctor consultation.

Warning signs of heart attack in women–the signs of real attack

Although the following are the most common symptoms of heart attack, each woman may experience symptoms differently. Women may experience all, several, few or none of these heart attack warning signs. Warning signs of heart attack are:

• Sweating suddenly with a cold, clammy feeling
• Nausea and vomiting that doesn’t act in response to treatment
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling of sickness
• Sudden lightheadedness, weakness, or dizziness
• A very fast pulse rate or racing heart
• Anxiety
• Heartburn or abdominal pain
• Swelling of the lower part of the body–feet, ankles, and lower legs
• Discomfort in the back, all along the bra line
• Heart palpitations

If you notice any of these symptoms, consider taking aspirin for an instant relief. However, consult your doctor immediately after noticing the warning signs of heart attack.