New Delhi: Heart attacks are becoming increasingly common in women both in India and around the world. According to the latest statistics, heart attacks harm ten times more women than breast cancer. There are numerous factors that can harm a woman’s heart health and increase her risk of heart disease. One of the factors that quietly increases the risk of heart disease in women is untreated blood pressure problems, which damage the heart.
It’s important to look out for early signs because much heart damage occurs within the first two hours after a heart attack. In the case of a heart attack, the earlier help comes, the better.
Early symptoms of a heart attack:
The symptoms of a heart attack vary from person to person and even from case to case. Early symptoms of a heart attack may include:
- Mild chest pain or discomfort that may come and go, also known as “stuttering” chest pain
- shoulder pain
- neck or jaw pain
- Sweat
- nausea or vomiting
- lightheadedness or fainting
- breathlessness
- The feeling of “impending doom”
- Severe anxiety or confusion
Women are more likely to experience symptoms, although they may not always be heart-related. In fact, many women experience no chest pain at all during a heart attack. Because the risk of heart attack increases dramatically after menopause due to the drop in estrogen levels, which help maintain a healthy heart, recognizing the signs of a heart attack is crucial for women over 50.
Symptoms of a heart attack in women over 50:
Some of the most common heart attack symptoms in women over 50 are the following:
- A common symptom is pain in one or both limbs. Although pain or discomfort in either arm can be a sign, people tend to associate heart attack symptoms with their left arm more often.
- In addition, women are also more likely to have problems in their jaw, neck, upper back or shoulders.
- Shortness of breath can be a sign of a heart attack in both men and women. Chest pain is not a requirement.
- While chest pain may or may not occur, it’s important to know when it could be a sign of a heart attack. A heart attack can be signaled by persistent chest pain or pain that comes and goes frequently. The discomfort can feel intensely oppressive, like someone is sitting on your chest. Also, the awful feeling isn’t always felt in the center of the chest. You can feel it from armpit to armpit.
- The most common symptoms of a heart attack in women are sudden nausea and vomiting.
- Also, you might get cold sweats and experience anxiety.