Early Heart Attack Symptoms In Women

If you are a woman who has a family history of heart disease, do you know what the early symptoms of a heart attack are? If not then its time to educate yourself, because your risk of dying from a heart attack is higher than it is for men. The less you know about the early warning signs the more likely you are to ignore these early symptoms if they occur, lessening your chances of surviving an attack.

Why are symptoms ignored?

The early symptoms of an impending heart attack are not easy to pin down because they can mimic other conditions. Symptoms such as feeling overly tired, sleep disturbances, heartburn, and wrist pain are likely to be attributed to other causes. Many women believe that they have a better chance of getting cancer, certainly not a heart attack. Besides, that's a man's disease isn't it?

Not Necessarily

Both men and women are candidates for heart disease, but a woman is more likey to die from it because of ignored early symptoms of a heart attack. Women comprise 60% of all heart attack deaths, yet early warning signals surface days and weeks before the attack presents itself.

What are the early symptoms of heart attack in women?

Women who've had a heart attack report experiencing symptoms in the weeks leading up to the heart attack, but never connected it with heart disease. Accordingly, they are at risk for a second attack within five years of the first one. Early symptoms of heart attack in women include::

• Heartburn or Indigestion


• Dizziness, nausea, or vomiting


• Unexplained weakness, fatigue


• Discomfort/pain between shoulder blades


• Recurring chest discomfort


• Disturbed sleep patterns

All of these early symptoms can be attributed to other causes, but if you are a woman with risk factors for heart disease such as family history, age, gender, and high blood pressure, you have an increased risk for a heart attack. African-American women have a greater risk than Causcasian women, and over all, women have higher risk than men. Knowing the early symptoms can alert well you enough in advance to see your doctor for evaluation and treatment.

Consulting Your Physician

A thorough examination by your healthcare provider can help identify your risks and help to lower or even eliminate some risks. Maintaining a healthy weight and diet, stop smoking, regular excercise, and proper rest are just a few ways of lowering your risk for heart attack. Also, learning the early symptoms of an impending heart event enables you to get the help you need in quickest time possible to minimize the damage to your heart, thus saving your life.

by Barb Hicks RN/LMT