Heart Attack Symptoms in Women
More women die from heart disease than all cancers combined, according to the American Heart Association. It’s important to be aware of the specific symptoms women may experience, says Dr. Zubair Ahmed, an interventional cardiologist at Washington Regional Cardiovascular Clinic, part of the Walker Heart Institute.
There is a very common myth that women are affected less by heart disease than men. “The reality is that all our data suggests that heart disease is equally or even more prevalent in women,” Ahmed says.
CDC data suggests that one in every five deaths in women is related to cardiovascular disease. “Women tend to have more complications from a heart attack, with more women dying in five years after a heart attack than men,” Ahmed says.
While chest pain is still one of the top symptoms of a heart attack in women, there are other symptoms to be aware of. These symptoms can be present even without chest pain in a woman experiencing a heart attack.
Symptoms in women include:
- Sudden onset of severe shortness of breath
- Severe pain between the shoulder blades, in the neck or jaw
- Pain that radiates down the left arm
- Severe nausea or vomiting
- Sudden onset of fatigue with no known cause
If you are concerned about symptoms of heart attack, seek immediate medical help by calling 911.