How a Woman Can Spot a Heart Attack
A heart attack strikes someone about every 34 seconds, according to the American Heart Association.
Typically, we associate heart attacks with men, but did you know that heart disease is the number one killer for women?
The problem is that women feel different symptoms, or pain, than men and when they do experience these warning signs, they chalk them up to less life-threatening conditions like acid reflux, the flu, or aging.
“They do this because they are scared and because they put their families first,” said Nieca Goldberg, M.D., medical director for the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at NYU’s Langone Medical Center and an American Heart Association volunteer. “There are still many women who are shocked that they could be having a heart attack.”
These symptoms can include:
- Uncomfortable pressure in the center of the chest
- Unusual fatigue
- Discomfort in seemingly unrelated areas (such as neck, jaw, arms, back or stomach)
- Nausea
- Indigestion
If you are or know someone who is having any of these symptoms, you are urged to see a doctor. If the symptoms seem severe and immediate, take an aspirin and call 9-1-1.
