Heart Attack Symptoms - Different In Women!
Heart disease and heart attacks claim
the lives of more American women than men each year, and pose a greater threat
to American women than all forms of cancer combined. Unfortunately, many women
do not know that the symptoms of a woman having a heart attack can be
significantly different from those of a man. C. Noel Bairey Merz, M.D., Chair of the American College of Cardiology's
Prevention and Cardiovascular Diseases Committee is offering a dozen important heart tips for women.
Women take notice of
these 12 Important Heart Tips!
- If you're over age 18, have your blood pressure checked annually; over age 45, have your blood cholesterol and blood sugar checked each year; and
if you have a family history of heart disease in a relative prior to the age
of 60, especially in a female relative, ask your physician to do these tests
at earlier ages and to consider additional tests such as treadmill testing and other heart disease screening tests.
- Be aware that the symptoms for women having a heart attack are often different from those of a man, but any of the following symptoms can occur
in men and women:
Classic Symptoms
- Squeezing chest pain or pressure
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Tightness in chest
- Pain spreading to shoulders, neck or arm
- 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, nausea or vomiting
- Unexplained weakness, fatigue
- Discomfort/pain between shoulder blades
- Recurring chest discomfort
- Sense of impending doom
- Talk to your doctor or gynecologist regularly about your heart health. Be
proactive in bringing this topic up for discussion. Ask for a thorough assessment of your heart disease risk factors: family history, cholesterol
- especially LDL, HDL and triglycerides - glucose (blood sugar) levels, blood
pressure, smoking history, weight, stress and exercise. If you have risk factors, formulate a plan with your doctor to reduce or eliminate or reduce
them.
- If you have one or more risk factors, ask your doctor or gynecologist if you should have an electrocardiogram (ECG) or exercise stress test.
- Ask your doctor or gynecologist to review risk factors for heart disease and heart attack symptoms during your annual check-up. Discuss these with
your family and friends, along with the importance of calling 9-1-1 if these
symptoms occur.
- Tell your doctor or gynecologist about any personal or family history of heart disease.
- Make sure you understand any medications or special instructions your doctor has given you, including when you need to have follow-up tests.
- Be aware of your diet and lifestyle. Read labels and avoid foods that are high in saturated fats. Aim to eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables
each day. Whenever possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and look for other ways to get more exercise.
- Don't smoke If you do smoke, stop.
- If you are experiencing symptoms that could be a signal of a heart attack, call 9-1-1 and get to the emergency room quickly to minimize
possible damage to your heart.
- Consider taking aspirin at the first sign of heart attack symptoms.
- Check out nearby cardiac rehabilitation centers and community programs to help you stop smoking, get regular exercise, lose weight and reduce
stress.
If you are experiencing symptoms that could be signaling a heart attack or if you see someone else with these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately and summon an ambulance. Do not attempt to drive yourself as only paramedics and trained fire department personnel have the necessary equipment to revive you if your heart has stopped beating. Give the patient one aspirin to chew, and if she or he is not breathing, start CPR. Above all, get to the hospital as
quickly as possible because the longer a heart attack goes untreated, the more badly damaged your heart will be.
For additional information, please visit the following areas:
Portions of the preceding information has been provided with the kind
permission of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles,
California.
Last Editorial Review: 2/1/2005
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