Women and Heart Disease - Symptoms

Many women do get the "classic" symptoms, and therefore we list them first, based on the American Heart Association information:

Chest discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes. Sometimes, it goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body such as pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath that may occur with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs that may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or dizziness.

A recent paper in the journal Circulation, v 108, p 2619 (2003) presents results of research into the typical symptoms women experience before and during a heart attack.

Starting more than a month before the attack, women experience (in order of prevalence)

1. Unusual fatigue (71%)

2. Sleep disturbance (48%)

3. Shortness of breath (42%)

4. Chest discomfort (29%) - this is the primary symptom in men!

5. Indigestion and anxiety were two other reported symptoms.

The acute symptoms were

1. Shortness of breath (58%)

2. Weakness (55%)

3. Fatigue (43%)

4. Acute chest pain was missing in 43% of the cases! For those who did report chest pain, it was typically located in the back and upper chest.

5. Other symptoms included cold sweat and dizziness.

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