When most people picture a heart attack, they imagine someone clutching their chest and collapsing. That does happen, but it is far more common in men than in women. Women having a heart attack often experience symptoms that are easy to dismiss as something less serious, which is one reason why women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men. Not because their hearts are weaker, but because the signs get missed.
The Classic Signs That Apply to Everyone
Chest pain or tightness is still the most common symptom in both men and women. But in women it does not always feel like the crushing pressure that gets described in first aid courses. It might feel more like a squeezing or fullness, or an uncomfortable pressure that comes and goes. Some women describe it as feeling like a heavy weight on the chest. Others say it felt more like bad indigestion.
Symptoms Women Are More Likely to Experience
This is where it gets tricky. Women are significantly more likely than men to have heart attack symptoms that do not involve chest pain at all. The British Heart Foundation has highlighted several that women should watch for: pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort. Breaking out in a cold sweat. Nausea or vomiting. Feeling lightheaded or unusually tired.
The fatigue one catches a lot of women out. In the days or even weeks before a heart attack, some women report feeling exhausted for no obvious reason, the kind of tiredness that sleep does not fix. On its own that could be anything. Combined with breathlessness or jaw pain, it is a red flag.
Why the Symptoms Differ
Men are more likely to have blockages in the large coronary arteries. Women are more likely to have disease in the smaller blood vessels that branch off the main arteries, a condition called small vessel disease or microvascular disease. This tends to produce more diffuse symptoms rather than the classic central chest pain.
What to Do
If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, call 999 immediately. Do not drive yourself to hospital. While you wait, chewing a 300mg aspirin is often recommended by emergency services if you are not allergic. Sit down and try to stay calm.
The biggest risk is hesitation. Studies consistently show that women wait longer than men before calling for help during a heart attack, often because they do not want to make a fuss or because they convince themselves it is just indigestion or stress. If something feels wrong, trust that instinct. A&E staff would far rather see someone who turns out to be fine than treat someone who waited too long.
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, speak to your GP or a qualified healthcare professional. If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 999 immediately.
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