Is heart attack in young women more common than you think? For the longest time, heart attacks have been thought of as an old man’s disease. But the fact is—Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, killing about one in every four women. [1] Aside from that, it has become more common in young women.
A heart attack can be a fatal incident that is caused by an interruption in the blood flow to the heart. Despite an increase in awareness over the past decade, only 54% of women recognize that heart disease is their number 1 killer. [2] Young women, in particular, ignore the early signs of a heart attack and delay in taking tests that can potentially save their life.
Women’s Symptoms Are Different From Men’s
It is a general misconception that heart attack symptoms are the same for men and women. A common symptom of a heart attack is a crushing chest pain that radiates down one arm. Young women, however, don’t always get such symptoms before getting an attack.
The first symptom in women is generally quite different than those that are usually associated with a heart attack. Women can experience symptoms such as arm, neck, jaw or back pain, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, dizziness or lightheartedness, cold sweats, unusual tiredness and trouble sleeping. It is one of the primary reasons why they don’t rush to the emergency room at the first sign of trouble. They associate their symptoms with other issues, such as heartburn, arthritis, or anxiety, and don’t seek help.
Early detection leads to better prevention. Therefore, getting these early signs of a heart attack diagnosed will reduce your chances of getting this fatal disease in the future!
Make your heart health your main priority.
Book an appointment today with Manhattan Cardiology.
References:
- https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_women_heart.htm
- Mosca L, Mochari-Greenberger H, Dolor RJ, Newby LK, Robb KJ. Twelve-year follow-up of American women’s awareness of cardiovascular disease risk and barriers to heart health. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality Outcomes. 2010;3:120-7.
- Jean C. McSweeney. “Women’s Early Warning Symptoms of Acute Myocardial Infarction”. Circulation. 2003; 108: 2619-2623 November 3, 2003. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000097116.29625.7C
