HEART ATTACK SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN

Do you know the warning signs?

Every year in the United States, more women than men die of heart attack or coronary arteriy disease (CAD) This is due in part to women not recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack, or may even be in denial that a heart attack is occurring.

Researchers have reported that most women 55 years old and younger who have heart attacks don’t recognize warning signs, and represent less than 5 percent of all hospitalized heart disease patients. Even though this may be small percentage of the population, it represents a large number of people.

Young women with heart disease account for about 40,000 hospitalizations each year. Diseases of the heart in young womenaccount for about 16,000 deaths annually, ranking it among the leading causes of death in this group, according to authors.

“The number of young women who die from coronary heart disease each year is roughly comparable to the number of women whodie of breast cancer in this age group,” said Judith Lichtman, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “Studies have shown thatyoung women with heart disease are twice as likely to die in the hospital as similarly aged men. While these statistics are startling, very little is known concerning the clinical presentation, patient care, or outcomes of young women with heart disease.”

In a pilot study, Lichtman and colleagues studied 24 women (55 and younger) who had heart attacks and were admitted to one of two Connecticut hospitals. The researchers asked them about their symptoms before the heart attack and whether they recognized or understood that they were at risk for heart disease.

Nearly 90 percent of the women in the study had the typical heart attack symptom of chest pain, with 7.4 being the average rating of their chest pain on a scale of one to 10 (with 10 being the most painful).

“This means that they were experiencing significant chest pain,” said Lichtman, an assistant professor in the Department ofEpidemiology and Public Health at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn.

Researchers said they were surprised that only 42 percent, or four in 10, of the women who came into the hospital thought something was wrong with their hearts. According to Lichtman, many women thought they were having a bout of indigestion or heartburn. Many young women do not connect their symptoms with heart disease. Additionally, many are not aware of the possibility that they are at risk for heart attack.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack?

Most heart attack symptoms begin slowly, with mild pain or discomfort, while some heart attacks are sudden and intense. Often the people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

Classic Symptoms

• Squeezing chest pain or pressure


• Shortness of breath


• Sweating


• Tightness in chest


• Pain spreading to shoulders, neck or arm


• Feeling of heartburn or indigestion with or without nausea and vomiting


• Sudden dizziness or brief loss of consciousness

Symptoms More Likely in Women -

• Indigestion or gas-like pain


• Dizziness, nausea or vomiting


• Unexplained weakness, fatigue


• Discomfort/pain between shoulder blades


• Recurring chest discomfort


• Sense of impending doom

Talk to your doctor or gynecologist regularly about your heart health. Be proactive in bringing this topic up for discussion. Seek a thorough assessment of your risk factors for heart disease:

• family history


• cholesterol - especially LDL, HDL and triglycerides -


• glucose (blood sugar) levels,


• blood pressure,


• smoking history,


• weight,


• stress


• exercise

If you have risk factors, formulate a plan with your doctor to reduce or eliminate them altogether.

How do I know if a heart attack has occurred?

A doctor who's studied the results of several tests must diagnose a heart attack. These diagnostic tests include:

• complete medical history.


• physical examination


• take blood samples to test for cardiac enzymes, which if elevated are indicative of a heart attack.


• electrocardiogram (e-lek"tro-KAR'de-o-gram) (ECG or EKG) An ECG, a medical device that records of the heart's electrical activity.

If you or someone you are with is experiencing symptoms that could be signaling a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately. Do not attempt to drive yourself as only paramedics and trained fire department personnel have the necessary equipment to revive you if your heart has stopped beating. Give the patient one aspirin to chew, but make sure the patient is not allergic to aspirin. If she or he is not breathing, begin CPR. Get to the hospital as quickly as possible because the longer a heart attack goes untreated, the more damage the heart will sustain\.

It would be wise for all to be certified in Cardiopulmonary Resusitation (CPR). Contact your local Red Cross and register for a CPR class today. You just may save a life.

by Barb Hicks, RN/LMT