Doesn’t really matter if it’s owing to disbelief or due to lack of medical awareness, dismissing the symptoms of a heart attack can cost life. Yes, delaying the lifesaving actions can claim life. You need to recognize the warning signs and act quickly>
Let’s start with the basics – heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women. Women therefore need to learn the warning signs and symptoms, women need to consult a cardiologist and learn their family history to stay safe.
Cardiac conditions have a direct connection with lifestyle. It is also quite a worrying factor that heart attack is affecting more Indian women in their reproductive age group now, unlike in the past when heart attack was mostly prevalent among the menopausal women. The main reason for this is extreme amount of stress caused by juggling workplace and home. This together with the other risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity and unhealthy food choice further adds to the problem
Pressure, sweating, nausea, jaw pain – believe it or not, these are all symptoms of a heart attack in women. The worst part is, these are also the common symptoms that women often brush off as common flu or stress symptoms. This could put their life in crisis.
Doesn’t really matter if it’s owing to disbelief or due to lack of medical awareness, dismissing the symptoms of a heart attack can cost life. Yes, delaying the lifesaving actions can claim life. You need to recognize the warning signs and act quickly
Causes of a heart attack in women
Just like their male counterpart, in women heart attacks occur when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked due to the plaque buildup in the coronary arteries. Of course the initial causation can have a direct link with the usual suspects still the heavy smokers, people with high-stress level or lifestyles, or those who are obese as well as the not-so-usual suspects are also at the high risk for heart attack.
Symptoms of a heart attack
As with men, the most common symptom of heart attack is chest pain. However it is also important to mention here, women may tend to experience the other common symptoms, especially shortness of breath, jaw pain, back pain and nausea.
Women may have subtle heart attack symptoms that are often totally unrelated to chest pain, such as –
- Shoulder, upper back, neck, jaw or abdominal discomfort
- Breathlessness
- Pain in one or both arms
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Extreme and unusual fatigue
Uncomfortable pressure, swelling or fullness in the center of the chest that comes and goes away, pain or discomfort in one or both arms, breaking into a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness are a few other symptoms of heart attack in women.
Why it’s absolutely crucial to know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack
As briefed earlier, women who consider themselves healthy are often at a greater risk of misdiagnosing the heart attack symptoms as they don’t think it could ever happen to them. Heart disease in women is pretty common however; the signs and symptoms of heart attack are a bit different in women than men and sadly these symptoms are often misunderstood. Becoming aware of the signs and risks that are unique to women and sticking to healthy diet and heart healthy lifestyle can help.
What to do during a heart attack?
- Call for medical assistance if you are experiencing any of these signs and symptoms. Make sure that you consult a heart specialist, follow his instructions and get to a hospital right away if needed.
- Try and stay as calm as possible and breathe slowly as you wait for the emergency responders.
- DO NOT drive yourself and don’t panic.
The bottom line
Consult a heart specialist in Kolkata, get your numbers checked, lead a heart-healthy lifestyle and stay informed about the causes and symptoms of heart disease.
DO NOT take your heart health for granted. Play your part well to keep your heart healthy