World Heart Day 2018: A heart attack symptom might not be the same in women as in men. Women don't always get the same classic heart attack symptoms as men, such as crushing chest pain that radiates down one arm.
Are symptoms of heart attack different in men and women?
HIGHLIGHTS
- A heart attack symptom might not be the same in women as in men
- World Heart Day 2017, know the symptoms of a Heart Attack
- Some women may experience chest pain differently than men
Celebrated worldwide on the 29th September, World Heart Day is all about spreading the awareness about and importance of a healthy heart. In the past decades, heart diseases used to affect only the aged but, a large chunk of the world population deals with chronic heart diseases at a very young now. A heart attack symptom might not be the same in women as in men. Women don't always get the same classic heart attack symptoms as men, such as crushing chest pain that radiates down one arm. Those heart attack symptoms can certainly happen to women, but many experience vague or even "silent" symptoms that they may miss. This World Heart Day, know the various symptoms of heart attack in women.
Also read: World Heart Day 2017: 7 Top Tips For A Heart Friendly Diet
"Getting immediate, appropriate care is the single most important thing you can do to lessen the damage of a heart attack," says Prediman K. Shah, MD, director of cardiology and atherosclerosis research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in New York City, in a news release. Dial 911 for an ambulance.
"Do not waste time trying to reach your own doctor," says Shah. "Don't drive yourself or someone else to the hospital ... don't call a cab." Medical experts state that within the first few hours after a heart attack, there is a high risk of sudden fatal arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats), and only ambulances with fire department personnel or paramedics are equipped to revive you in such a situation.
Also read: World Heart Day 2017: Top 8 Heart Attack Triggers
Symptoms of a Heart Attack -- in Both Men and Women:
- Squeezing chest pain or pressure
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Tightness in chest
- Pain spreading to shoulders, neck, arm, or jaw
- Feeling of heartburn or indigestion with or without nausea and vomiting
- Sudden dizziness or brief loss of consciousness
- Symptoms More Likely in Women:
- Indigestion or gas-like pain
- Dizziness or nausea
- Unexplained weakness or fatigue
- Discomfort or pain between the shoulder blades
- Recurring chest discomfort
- Sense of impending doom
Chest pain: Chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom, but some women may experience it differently than men. It may feel like a squeezing or fullness, and the pain can be anywhere in the chest, not just on the left side. It's usually "truly uncomfortable" during a heart attack, says cardiologist Rita Redberg, MD, director of Women's Cardiovascular Services at the University of California, San Francisco.
Shortness of breath: If you're having trouble breathing for no apparent reason, you could be having a heart attack, especially if you're also having one or more other symptoms.
Not everyone gets all of those symptoms. If you have chest discomfort, especially if you also have one or more of the other signs, call 911 immediately.
World Heart Day 2017, keep yourself acquainted with the symptoms of heart attack.
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