Recognizing heart attack warning signs in women

Heart attacks rarely resemble the dramatic scenes from movies, where someone clutches their chest in sudden, severe pain.

While chest pain is still the most common heart attack symptom, those portrayals can be misleading, especially for women.

In women, heart attack symptoms are often more subtle and less recognizable. Knowing what to look for could save your life or the life of someone you love.

Compared to men, women are more likely to experience symptoms that don’t immediately point to the heart, including:
• Cold sweats

Because these symptoms can feel vague or unrelated, many women minimize them or mistake them for anxiety, the flu or acid reflex, which can lead to dangerous delays in seeking care.

Timing matters, too – symptoms that appear during physical activity or exertion and improve with rest are a red flag and should be taken seriously.

Women are also more likely than men to experience a “silent heart attack,” which occurs with little or no noticeable symptoms. In these cases, damage to the heart may not be discovered until weeks or months later, often during an electrocardiogram (EKG) performed for another reason.

While you may not recognize a silent heart attack as it’s happening, understanding your risk factors can help reduce your chances of having one.

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of heart attacks in both women and men. Shared risk factors include being overweight, diabetes, high blood pressure, high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, smoking, physical inactivity, chronic stress, depression, kidney disease, inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, an unhealthy diet and a family history of heart disease.

Women also have unique risk factors related to hormonal and reproductive health, including early menstruation, early menopause, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes or preterm delivery and a history of heart problems during pregnancy.

Having risk factors does not mean that you will have a heart attack, but making heart-healthy choices – especially when you have risk factors that can’t be changed – is one of the most powerful steps you can take.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the United States, and women have higher mortality rates after a heart attack then men, so awareness, prevention and early action are critical.

Annual physical exams with blood pressure checks, cholesterol and blood sugar testing, and, when appropriate, an EKG can provide valuable insight into your heart health. Regular exercise is another powerful tool, not only for prevention, but also as a personal barometer. If your usual walk or workout suddenly becomes difficult due to fatigue, shortness of breath or discomfort, don’t ignore it.

If you or someone you know is experiencing heart attack symptoms, call 911 immediately. Acting quickly can save a life.

Francis O’Neill, M.D., is an interventional cardiologist with Beaufort Memorial Heart Specialists in Beaufort and Okatie and is board-certified in internal medicine and fellowship-trained in cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology.