Women have both similar and different heart attack warning signs than men.
What are the signs of a heart attack?
For both women and men, the most common sign of a heart attack is:
- Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest. The pain or discomfort can be mild or strong. It can last more than a few minutes, or it can go away and come back.
Other common signs of a heart attack include:
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
- Shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air). The shortness of breath often occurs before or with the chest pain or discomfort.
- Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) or vomiting.
- Feeling faint or woozy.
- Breaking out in a cold sweat.
Women are more likely than men to have the "other" common signs of a heart attack, particularly shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, and pain in the back, neck, or jaw. Women are also more likely to have less common signs of a heart attack, including:
- Heartburn
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling tired or weak
- Coughing
- Heart flutters
Sometimes the signs of a heart attack happen suddenly, but they can also develop slowly, over hours, days, and even weeks before a heart attack occurs.
The more heart attack signs that you have, the more likely it is that you are having a heart attack. Also, if you've already had a heart attack, your symptoms may not be the same for another one. Even if you're not sure you're having a heart attack, you should still have it checked out.
If you think you, or someone else, may be having a heart attack, wait no more than a few minutes — five at most — before calling 911.
One of my family members had a heart attack. Does that mean I'll have one too?
If your dad or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mom or sister had one before age 65, you're more likely to develop heart disease. This does not mean you will have a heart attack. It means you should take extra good care of your heart to keep it healthy.
