Heart attack warning signs not the same for women and men

Main Category: Pain / Anesthetics
Article Date: 29 Dec 2003 - 0:00 PDT

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A woman's symptoms prior to a heart attack are increasingly being found to be different than those of a man, according to recent research. These findings challenge the notion that chest pain is the most important symptom of heart attack.

The study, published in the December issue of Today in Cardiology, noted that women reported new or different symptoms a month before experiencing a heart attack. Heart attacks, which occur when the flow of oxygen- rich blood to the heart is blocked, are generally more deadly to women than men.

Women are only half as likely to survive a first heart attack and are significantly more likely than men to experience a second heart attack within one year. It has been known for some time that diagnosing heart attacks in women can be more difficult because the symptoms may vary.

For men and women, common warning signs of a heart attack have included chest pain that is not relieved by rest, as well as sensation of pressure or squeezing in the chest. Other symptoms include:

* Feeling faint or dizzy
* Sweating, often heavy and cold
* Nausea or upset stomach.

In the study, fewer than 30 percent of the women reported feeling chest pain before a heart attack and 43 percent did not feel chest pain during a heart attack. On the other hand, well over 70 percent of women reported feeling unusually fatigued. Almost 48 percent reported sleep disturbance. Other symptoms included indigestion and weakness in arms.

Unless a woman is familiar with these atypical symptoms, she may delay getting to the hospital. By the time a woman decides to seek medical attention, severe damage to the heart may already have occurred.

When in doubt, chew a 'regular' aspirin (not acetaminophen) if not allergic and call 9-1-1 immediately. Aspirin can reduce the chance of dying from a heart attack by 25 percent.

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