Ella Scott
A medical expert has revealed how heart attack symptoms differ between women and men, and what indicators females should look out for.
The NHS states that a heart attack is a medical emergency where the blood supply to the heart suddenly becomes blocked.
The most common cause of a heart attack is coronary artery disease (CAD); a health issue that will unfortunately prove fatal to one in every 14 women.
Despite public misperceptions, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) claims that twice as many women in the UK die from CAD than breast cancer and that you’re more likely to develop the disease if you have high cholesterol, hypertension or diabetes.
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Interestingly, symptoms of a heart attack differ wildly between women and men, with the former more likely to experience nausea, vomiting, stomach pains and extreme fatigue.
Opening up about the symptom gap between genders, Dr Claire Merrifield, GP and medical director at Selph, told Tyla: “There is a perception that men are more at risk of heart attacks than women, so sometimes symptoms are not recognised as quickly in women.
“Women also have a tendency to disregard symptoms and not take them as seriously.
“Some women who’ve had heart attacks have described being reluctant to call an ambulance for fear of being seen as a hypochondriac.”
However, she states that women are six times ‘more likely’ to die of heart disease than of breast cancer and that raising symptom awareness will help to save countless lives.
Merrifield stated that women suffering a heart attack were more likely to experience nausea and vomiting compared to their male counterparts.
She also said it’s likely you’ll experience pain in the neck, jaw, throat, abdomen, or back and that shortness of breath without chest pain is ‘common in women’.
According to the expert, heart attack pain isn’t always the ‘crushing agony’ depicted in popular culture. Instead, it can be classed as a much more ‘subtle’ pain.
Moreover, women may also experience severe abdominal pressure when they’re having a heart attack.
According to cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York, this can feel as if 'an elephant is sitting on your stomach'.
The cardiologist also says that some women who have experienced heart attacks complain of extreme tiredness in the chest.
"They say that they can't do simple activities, like [walking] to the bathroom,” Goldberg told Web MD.
So, why is it so important that we understand the differences in symptoms between men and women?
Well, according to Merrifield, it’s because heart attacks are ‘very treatable’ in their early stages.
“It’s important for women to be aware of the potential differences in symptoms and seek urgent medical attention as this can lead to faster diagnosis and treatment,” she explained.
“Raising awareness of the symptoms can help to reduce misdiagnosis and delayed or incorrect treatment.
“It also more importantly improves response to heart attacks and ultimately helps to save lives.”
For more information on women’s health, visit the Selph website.