They’re not always the chest-clutching symptoms you might expect.
And here’s something that might stop you in your tracks:Heart diseaseis theleading cause of deathin women.
A heart attack happenswhen blood flow to your heart becomes blocked, causing heart muscle cells to die.
And sure, chest pain is a common symptom of a heart attack.
So, lets talk about what heart attacks look like in women.
Because knowing the signs could preserve your lifeor someone elses.
Director of the Women’s Heart Program at Morristown Medical Center, Atlantic Health System
How (and why) are heart attack symptoms different in women?
Women have different biology, hormones, and even smaller blood vessels, she explains.
And these biological differences really do matter in terms of which symptoms women are likely to develop.
Even the waycholesterolbuilds up in arteries can look different depending on your sex.
Men typicallydevelop blockages in their main heart arteries.
It can feel like an elephant sitting on your chest and you may break into a sweat.
Between managing family responsibilities and work, women tend to put their own health last, Dr. Ramlawi adds.
This delay can have serious consequences.
In cardiology, we have a saying: Time is muscle, Dr. Anhert says.
Director of the Women’s Heart Program at Morristown Medical Center, Atlantic Health System
Yup, we said first because she had a second heart attack about a month later.
One weekend morning, after a night out, she got up thinking she’d head to the gym.
I took one step out of my bed, and myheart just started racinguncontrollably, Muller tells Well+Good.
I broke out into a sweat.
At first, she wondered if it was just a weird hangover.
She tried taking deep breaths but could only manage one deep breath followed by several short ones.
Desperate to feel better, she crawled back to bed, hoping the symptoms would pass.
Thats when it hit her: Something is seriously wrong.
Even then, it never occurred to her that she was having a heart attack.
It wasnt until after several hours and tests in the emergency room that she got her diagnosis.
That’s why recognizing the signs that women can have is so essential.
But women also face unique risks that often go unrecognized.
Complications during pregnancy
Pregnancy complications are a major one.
Any of these could increase your risk of heart disease, Dr. Ahnert explains.
You should have yearly checkups toscreen for risk factorslike high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Your healthcare provider needs the full picture to help care for your heart.
Driving yourself or waiting it out could cost precious time.
They were afraid of being told it’s anxiety," Dr. Anhert says.
Trust your body and seek immediate medical help if something does not feel right.
Doing so can stash your life.
Get those regular check-ups, stay active,eat heart-healthy foods, and don’t ignore your mental health.
It’s not selfish to take care of yourself, Dr. Anhert reminds us.
If something feels off, especially if it’s different from what you normally experience, speak up.
Your life could depend on it.
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