Women's symptoms of heart attack tend to be more variable and more easily overlooked than those more often experienced by men.
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This woman is describing a heart attack |
The symptoms that men commonly experience are central chest pain, often spreading to the left shoulder or arm, with a sensation of profound weakness.
Symptoms that could be overlooked
- Ache or pain in the upper back, jaw or neck
- Sudden difficulty breathing
- Sudden overwhelming fatigue or weakness
- Flu-like symptoms: nausea, vomiting, cold sweats
- Sudden anxiety, malaise and loss of appetite.
These sensations are more likely to occur without chest pain in women than in men. In one study, 58% of women reported the comparatively gentle symptom of breathlessness. Others reported weakness, unusual fatigue, cold sweats and dizziness – and no chest pain.
If you suffer any combination of these more subtle symptoms for more than a few minutes, particularly if you are a woman, you should quickly seek medical help.
Communication style
Women have different interpretations of illness, and how to describe it. Some women may not tell anyone about their symptoms for hours. And their descriptions may mean they are less likely to be referred to a specialist or diagnosed correctly.
Early treatment saves lives
In both men and women it is crucial to recognise the symptoms of a heart attack as early as possible. The sooner you get to hospital, the greater your chances of survival and a return to normal living.
