How are the symptoms different?
According to Dr. TS Kler, Chairman of the Fortis Cardiology Institute, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram (India), heart disease in women is often undetected or diagnosed late, partly because the symptoms of heart attack in women are different from men. Men often feel a severe heart attack, especially in the middle of the chest, and the pain can spread to the left arm, right arm, upper body and even up to the jaw. These are easily recognizable signs.
However, women have atypical symptoms that are confusing and easily overlooked. They may experience abdominal discomfort, nausea, anxiety, slight jaw pain, fatigue and dizziness. Sometimes, women also tend to ignore these symptoms and think they are not serious. This leads to a delay in diagnosis and affects the treatment process.
Dr. Kler says heart attack symptoms in women are often different than in men because of differences in physiology, hormones, and risk factors. Here are some of the main reasons:
Differences in heart and blood vessel structure: Women's hearts are smaller and their blood vessels have different characteristics, leading to less obvious heart attack symptoms.
The role of estrogen: Estrogen helps protect the cardiovascular system, but when women go through menopause, decreased estrogen increases cardiovascular risk and affects pain sensation.
Atypical symptoms in women: Women may experience back pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea instead of obvious chest pain, which can be easily mistaken for other problems.
Psychological factors and stress: Anxiety and stress in women can increase the risk of heart disease and affect pain perception.
Differential risk factors: Women have specific risk factors such as pregnancy, birth control pills, high blood pressure during pregnancy, which affect heart attack symptoms.
Note for timely diagnosis
Watch for atypical symptoms: Women may not have the typical symptoms that men do. Chest pain may be milder or absent. Symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, or back pain should be noted.
Regular checkups: Women, especially postmenopausal women, should have regular heart health checks, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
Medical history and risk factors: Women should inform their doctor about risk factors such as family history, pregnancy, high blood pressure during pregnancy or use of birth control pills.
Monitoring and early diagnosis: If you have unusual symptoms such as prolonged fatigue, shortness of breath or chest heaviness, you need to see a doctor promptly to avoid missing signs of a heart attack.
