ROME, Ga., Feb. 2, 2024 – Knowing the signs of a heart attack can save your life and possibly help you save the life of someone you love.
Not everyone who is having a heart attack experiences pain or pressure in the chest. You should be alert for the following:
- A sharp pain that occurs with coughing or breathing
- Pain that spreads above the jawbone or into the lower body
- Difficult or labored breathing
While heart disease is thought of as a “man's disease," heart disease in the U.S. remains the leading cause of death in women – ahead of all cancers, accident and stroke – killing more than 400,000 women a year.
According to the American Heart Association, fewer women than men survive their first heart attack.
“Heart attacks are particularly concerning for women because their symptoms can often be different from men's," said Stephanie Durall, coordinator of Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center's Cardiac Center of Excellence and a heart health educator. “Because women often do not recognize the symptoms of a heart attack, they can delay seeking care," Durall added.
Because the symptoms can be much more subtle, women often ignore them or think they are the result of a long busy week.
Heart attack symptoms for women may include:
- Fatigue
- Mild chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Sudden, profuse sweating
“Who doesn't feel tired some days?" Durall said. “A woman may imagine that the sudden sweat is just another symptom of menopause, or she may think that she's being silly to call for help."
Many risk factors may lead to the development of plaque buildup and a heart attack:
- Family or personal medical history of heart disease
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) and obesity
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Unhealthy diet
- Lack of exercise
Learn more about Atrium Health Floyd's heart services and take an Early Heart Attack Care course: https://www.floyd.org/medical-services/heart-care/Pages/expertise.aspx