When most people think of heart attacks, they picture sudden and traumatic chest pain. But heart attack symptoms can be mild and have different symptoms. The signs may also be different between men and women.
The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions notes that not all heart attacks are preceded by chest pain. Men or women could have chest discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, breaking out in cold sweat, and dizziness.
Positive MD highlights the seven warning signs of heart attacks in women, which includes sudden weakness; discomfort in the back, chest, arm, neck, or jaw—without chest pain; and trouble sleeping. Unfortunately, these symptoms are also common for a host of other medical conditions.
Bottom line: a heart attack doesn't always look like the typical Hollywood heart attack, and if you're a woman, you might need to be aware of symptoms that are more common for our gender.
If you have symptoms like these, have your doctor check you out. Don't delay, because that could cause additional heart damage or even be fatal. As we mentioned in our life saving skills post, if you suspect a heart attack and you know the person (over the age of 16) isn't allergic to aspirin, a tablet of aspirin could be a life saver.
For more information, see SCAI's Seconds Count site below.
Seconds Count | SCAI via George Takei