Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Men vs. Women

Heart attack: Even the word is enough to make a shiver run down your spine. Well, not all heart issues indicate clear signs and symptoms. Common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include pain, pressure, or squeeze in the chest or arms. You can also feel pain in your neck, jaw, or back. If you have any signs and symptoms of heart attack, seek immediate help. There are cases when people are not even aware of existing heart issues. Heart attacks can cause death, so it is important to identify the symptoms of a heart attack.

Chest pain is the commonest symptom of a heart attack in both men and women. It must be noted that not everyone having an attack has the same signs and symptoms. In some cases, the pain or discomfort might be mild while in others it may be severe. There are also cases when people do not experience any signs and symptoms.

While in some cases, a heart attack may happen suddenly. Many people have signs and symptoms much in advance, maybe days or weeks in advance. The earliest you diagnose the symptoms, the better it is to begin the treatment. The signs and symptoms of a heart attack in men and women are different.

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Symptoms of a heart attack in women

The possible symptoms of a heart attack in women include:

Chest pain – One of the most common symptoms of a heart attack is chest pain. In some cases, women may not experience chest pain or any discomfort in the chest. The chest pain may be described as pressure, squeeze, or ache. The pain may last for a few minutes.

Stomach issues – In some cases, women may experience stomach issues including vomiting or difficulty in digesting food.

Menopause – During or post-menopause, the estrogen level goes down. Women may experience symptoms such as severe sweating, irregular heartbeat, pain, or discomfort in the chest, back, jaw, or neck.

Excess sweating – Women experience unusual excess sweating as a common symptom of heart issues. The sweating can occur without any physical activity.

Difficulty in breathing – Women may face difficulty in breathing without any heavy activity. The difficulty in breathing can be followed by pain or discomfort in the chest.

Pain in the upper body – Unusual or sudden pain in the upper body. Women may experience pain or discomfort in the neck, jaw, or back.

Other symptoms of a heart attack in women include sleep disturbances, weakness, fatigue, anxiety, and fainting.

Symptoms of a heart attack in men

Chest pain or discomfort – Discomfort or pain in the chest is one of the most common symptoms of a heart attack in men. In some cases, it might be a feeling of ‘fullness’ in the chest. The pain or discomfort may last for a few minutes, stop for a while, and start again.

Body pain – Men may experience body pain in areas including waist, stomach, shoulders, arm, neck, or jaw.

Difficulty in breathing – Men may experience difficulty in breathing that can combine with or without chest pain. Shortness of breath can be accompanied by cough and/or fatigue.

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Risk factors of heart disease

The following are the factors that increase your risk of having a heart disease.

• Age – You are more likely to get heart disease if you are a man above 45 years of age and women over 55 years of age.
• Health conditions – You are more prone to a heart issue if you have any existing health conditions. These health conditions include diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cholesterol, HIV, etc.
• Family history – If you have a family history of heart disease, you are more likely to get heart disease.
• Smoking – The harmful substances present in cigarette cause blood to thicken. This further results in the formation of blood clots inside veins and arteries. The blood clots can cause blockage and lead to a heart attack.
• Stress – Chronic stress increases the levels of stress hormones, adrenaline, and cortisol. These hormones affect the way your blood clots, causing or increasing the risk of a heart attack.
• Physical inactivity – If your work involves sitting at a place for a longer time without any movement, it increases your risk of a heart attack.
• Diabetes – Diabetes is a common risk factor of heart disease. Women are more likely to be affected by the disease.
• Menopause – Menopause decreases the level of estrogen in a women’s body. This increases the risk of heart disease in women.
• Pregnancy – If a woman has diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy, it increases her chances of developing heart diseases.

Other factors that increase your chances of developing heart disease include excess consumption of alcohol, excess consumption of saturated fat.

Tips to remember

Heart disease is preventable if you follow a few simple tips:

Seek medical help

The early signs and symptoms of a heart attack include difficulty in breathing, unusual pain in the jaw or neck, and irregular heartbeats. The mentioned signs are an indication that your blood vessels have narrowed. The narrowing of blood vessels can cause difficulty for your heart to supply oxygenated blood to your body. If you think you are facing any symptoms, even minor ones, seek immediate medical help. Make sure you schedule regular check-ups with your health care experts. Monitoring your health on a regular basis helps your health care experts to diagnose any medical conditions that you may face in the future.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.