According to the Women's Heart Foundation, heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States, and women account for about 50 percent of all related deaths. Although some symptoms are the same for men and women, other symptoms are more predominant in women, so it's important to understand the warning signs.
Chest Pain
Chest pain is the most common symptom associated with a heart attack, but this is not always the most predominant symptom in women. According to a 2007 study by the National Institutes of Health, women are more likely than men to have no chest pain at all. Although 70 percent have some type of discomfort in the chest, it can feel more like pressure, aching or tightness versus a sharp pain. Approximately 33 percent of women reported having no chest pain prior to a heart attack, so this is not always a reliable indicator.
Understanding Symptoms
According to the Journal of the American Heart Association, 95 percent of women experience other symptoms prior to a heart attack, which can appear more than one month beforehand. Women are more likely to have pain in other areas of their body, including their shoulders, and other general symptoms throughout their body. Because of the number of different symptoms in women, it can be difficult to diagnose a heart attack. In a study by the Journal of the American Heart Association, "Women's Early Warning Symptoms of Acute Myocardial Infarction," it was reported that "Failure to recognize prodromal (forewarning) symptoms may be one reason women experience a greater proportion of sudden cardiac deaths than men do and the reason why Coronary Heart Disease remains the primary cause of death in women in the United States."
Symptoms Prior to a Heart Attack
According to the Journal of the American Heart Association study, the most common warning signs of a heart attack in women during the weeks or months before include: Unusual fatigue (mentioned by 71 percent of participants); sleep disturbances, 48 percent; shortness of breath, 42 percent; indigestion, 39 percent; anxiety, 36 percent; heart racing, 27 percent; arms weak or heavy, 25 percent; changes in memory or thinking, 24 percent; vision change, 23 percent; loss of appetite, 22 percent; tingling in hands or arms, 22 percent.
Symptoms During a Heart Attack
The most common acute symptoms that take place in women during a heart attack include shortness of breath, 58 percent; weakness, 55 percent; unusual fatigue, 43 percent; cold sweat, 39 percent; dizziness, 39 percent; nausea, 36 percent; arms weak or heavy, 35 percent; feeling hot or flushed, 32 percent; arms ache, 32 percent; indigestion, 31 percent; pain high in the chest, 31 percent; pain in the left arm, 22 percent; pain in the shoulder blades, 21 percent; tingling in hands or arms, 21 percent; general chest discomfort or pain, 20 percent.
