Heart attacks are becoming increasingly more common in women and there are certain signs of the condition in females which could go unnoticed.
This comes as health experts have observed the medical emergency more in women under 50, despite older age being a contributing factor to heart disease.
Medical website Medscape reports that confusion can arise when it comes to spotting the signs of a heart attack in men and women.
“As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort,” says the British Heart Foundation.
The health charity adds: “But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms.”
The Mirror have detailed five heart attack symptoms that women should never ignore.
What is a heart attack?
During a heart attack, a clot in one of the arteries of the heart suddenly blocks the flow of blood, and within minutes, heart muscle begins to die.
This is technically called a myocardial infarction, meaning death of heart muscle. The more time that passes without treatment, the greater the damage.
The part of the heart that dies during a heart attack cannot grow back or be repaired.
Heart attack symptoms in women
Digestive issues
In a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, nausea as a main symptom for heart attack among men and women was further analysed.
The research found that women experience nausea in 34% of cases. This is compared to men with 22% of cases.
“Typical symptoms are more common and have greater predictive value in women than in men with myocardial infarction whether or not they are diagnosed using sex‐specific criteria,” concluded the research.
Pain in jaw
Pain in the jaw as an early warning symptom for a heart issue, similar to pain felt in the neck, back, arm or shoulder.
“You can get jaw pain if the heart attack pain radiates to the jaw,” says Medline Plus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adds that this jaw pain can also radiate to other body parts.
Tingling sensation in the arms
Feeling a tingling or even numbness in the arms may be down to a number of other factors such as sleeping or leaning in the wrong position for too long.
“Sudden numbness in one or both arms may be a sign of a heart attack, stroke or nerve damage, especially if a person has other symptoms,” warns Medical News Today.
Conditions such as arthritis or a pinched nerve may also cause tingling in the arms but “it's important to rule out heart problems first," adds Dr Nieca Goldberg, medical director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health.
The British Heart Foundation adds other potential warning signs for a heart attack among women include chest pain or discomfort in your chest that suddenly occurs and doesn't go away, which may feel like pressure, tightness or squeezing.
- You may also feel sick, sweaty, light-headed or short of breath
- A sudden feeling of anxiety that can feel similar to a panic attack
- Excessive coughing or wheezing.
Heart attack symptoms seen in men and women
According to the NHS, symptoms of a heart attack can include:
- Chest pain – a feeling of pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across your chest
- Pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is spreading from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm, but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back and tummy
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- An overwhelming feeling of anxiety (similar to a panic attack)
- Coughing or wheezing
The chest pain can often be severe, but some people may only experience minor pain, similar to indigestion. If you are experiencing any of these unusual symptoms it is imperative to seek help immediately.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
