Heart Attack Information Especially for Women

Ask a random sampling of women what disease concerns them most and many will answer “breast cancer”. While breast cancer is certainly an important disease among women, many don’t realize that heart disease poses an even greater danger.

These statistics may come as a surprise to you:
• One in four women will die from heart disease.
• About 6 million American women have various stages of heart disease.
• About 3 million American women have experienced a heart attack.
• Two-thirds of American women who have experienced a heart attack don’t make a complete recovery.
• Nearly two-thirds of American women who die suddenly of a heart attack had no symptoms or warning sign.

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, killing 500,000 women every year.

The most common heart attack symptom for women, as with men, is sharp pain in the chest or other chest discomfort. But, the difference lies in how women and men respond to a heart attack. Women are less likely than men to believe they are experiencing a heart attack and more likely to delay in getting emergency treatment.

Women’s heart attack signs often consist of the following:
• Chest pain or discomfort.
• Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, such as arms, back, neck, jaw stomach, mid-chest, shoulders, elbows, and fingers.
• Shortness of breath, lightheadedness, unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, or indigestion.

Some of the more common symptoms in men include:
• Dizziness
• Breaking out in a cold sweat
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms
• Light-headedness

Coronary heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States (of both men and women) and a leading cause of permanent disability. This is why it important to reduce your risk factors by knowing both the warning signs and how to respond quickly.