This is why it is difficult to identify a heart attack in women & here are a few things you must check for.
Heart attack symptoms typically include severe pain in the chest and discomfort but the ones occurring in women are a bit different from the ones in men. It is believed that men are at higher risk of suffering from a heart attack as compared to women but the reality is that it is a leading cause of death in both, men and women, as confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Symptoms of heart attack look a lot different in women and they are more likely to suffer from a ‘silent heart attack’. It happens when a blood clot in the coronary artery restricts the blood flow into the heart and due to this, the cells in the heart start to die that further turns into a heart attack. One common symptom in both men and women is a pain in the left part of the chest with can range from mild to severe.
Symptoms of a heart attack in women
The less expected signs of a heart attack in women include nausea, indigestion, vomiting, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, and pain in the arms, neck, back throat, or jaw. feeling lightheaded and starting to sweat suddenly can also be included in the symptoms.
Reason for different symptoms in women
Doctors and experts still don’t know why symptoms of heart attack look different in men and women and have identified it as a complex and understudied issue. It can be a result of a combination of factors but most people are unable to identify it due to lack of awareness. It is important to look beyond stereotypes and people should educate themselves about the possible symptoms as only as according to stats, only 56 percent of women know that heart attack is a leading cause of death in women.
