Heart attacks in women — 7 symptoms you should be aware of

Symptoms of heart attack in women are slightly different than in men?

Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated: February 24, 2015 4:25 pm

With rising cases of heart disease and heart attacks, there is an increased need to be aware of the fact that no individual is immune to heart attack. Even people in their 20s and mid 30s are susceptible to heart attack due to various factors.

Dr Vijay Surase, a renowned cardiologist, says, ‘In some cases, women do not show any classic symptoms of heart attack like severe chest pain but experience discomfort and general weakness. This is the reason why women tend to ignore the problem until it turns into a severe health complication.’ Although the signs of heart attack are common in both genders, the symptoms observed in women are slightly different. These include -

Feeling of discomfort or uneasiness: It causes uncomfortable feeling such as squeezing of the heart, fullness or pain in the chest or pressure in the centre. Although the pain is occasional, the intensity might be mild to severe.

Pain in the upper body: Chest pain is common in both men and women, but sometimes pain and discomfort in other parts of the body is seen in women. These include pain in one or both the arms, neck, stomach (indigestion or acidity), back and/or jaw.

Difficulty in breathing: Shortness of breath is common in women experiencing a heart attack. This, in some cases, might be followed by a feeling of chest discomfort.

Other symptoms: Apart from the ones listed above, common heart attack symptoms in women include nausea, sweat and breaking out in cold.

Women with no history of heart attack are known to suffer from the condition. While, in some cases diagnostic tests like ECG indicate the susceptibility of a person to a heart attack. Hence, it is important to know the symptoms and prevent its various health complications, such as heart failure. Here are 9 expert tips to prevent heart attacks in the winter!

Image Source: Getty Images

Published: December 10, 2014 5:55 pm | Updated:February 24, 2015 4:25 pm

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