[toc]Heart disease in women may not always appear the same as that in men. Women do not show the classical symptoms of heart attack like crushing chest radiating down the arm. These symptoms could be seen in women, but many women experience silent and vague symptoms, with chances of missing the condition on time.
Heart disease is the most prevalent disease amongst women. Each year, heart disease causes death of women higher than the combined mortality rates of lung and breast cancer. A high percentage of women die of heart attacks than men. There is higher death rate of African American women dying due to cardiovascular disease as compared to white women. Diabetes is the key risk factor of heart disease. Hence, it is very crucial to know and understand the warning signs of heart disease in women, to prevent mortality.
Important Heart Disease Symptoms In Women
Chest Pain
The most common symptom of a heart disease is the chest pain, but happens quite differently in certain women. Women feel full, tightened or squeezed chest, with pain that develops at any part of the chest, not restricting to left side alone. The chest discomfort can be either mild or strong and may last for more than a few minutes and come back again.
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Stomach Pain
Stomach pain is usually mistaken for flu, stomach ulcer or heartburn, when actually it is the signal of heart disease in women. Women may also experience strong pressure over the abdomen that is as heavy as an elephant sitting over the stomach.
Breath Shortness
When there is a breathing trouble without any known reason, then it could be a possible sign of a heart disease, especially, when it is also accompanied by other symptoms.
Shortness of breath suddenly makes one feel, as if the woman has run a marathon, when actually she has been relaxing.
Pain In Jaw, Neck, Back And Arm
A sudden and gradual pain in jaw, back, neck and arm may occur that confuse women as they only expect pain to be at the left arm and chest, as a heart disease symptom. Any such atypical or unexplained symptoms should be reported to doctor, without ignoring them.
Fatigue
Women undergo extreme fatigue, even while sitting. There is a weird tiredness of the chest experienced by many women. Due to fatigue, women complain of finding it difficult to even perform simple activities, like going to the toilet.
Cold Sweat
Women having a heart disease break out in cold sweats under nervousness. The sweating appears more stress linked than the usual perspiration from heat or exercising. Women, who experienced such abnormal sweats, must get themselves checked.
Less commonly observed signs of a heart disease in women include loss of appetite, coughing, heartburn and heart flutters. These sign can appear slowly over days or weeks, before a heart attack may occur.
But, not every woman gets all these symptoms of heart disease, so in case any sign or symptom listed above is being experienced, one should get checked by the doctor or for immediate attention call 911. Due to these atypical symptoms, many women reach late into the emergency room. Knowing these symptoms well in advance and treating on time may save a life.