4 Heart Attack Symptoms All Women Should Be Aware Of

Denise Austin
by Denise Austin | 
 | 
Lifestyle
Hi everyone! As we wrap up Heart Health Month, I wanted to end with some information all women should be aware of... symptoms of a heart attack. Some symptoms differ for men and women, and could be part of the reason many women don't know they may be having a heart attack. As they say, the more you know! So read on and keep these symptoms in mind if you, a loved one or friend experiences any of these. Let's help to NOT make heart disease the number one cause of death for women by being proactive!


According to the American Heart Association, women should look out for:

  1. Chest discomfort. This can be uncomfortable pressure or a feeling of squeezing, fullness or pain, that last for a few minutes, leaves and comes back. 
  2. Other discomfort. Women may feel pain in one or both of their arms, in the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
  3. Breathing irregularities. Be aware of shortness of breath, either with or without chest discomfort.
  4. Other signs. Nausea, cold sweat, and feeling light headed are all signs, along with vomiting.

For women, the nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and back or jaw pain are more typical to females than males, so if you experience any of these, err on the side of caution and call 911 immediately!

Knowing the signs, eating a heart-healthy diet, getting regular cardiovascular exercise, and practicing stress-management and tension-taming techniques are ALL great ways to prevent a heart attack, so be sure to add these tactics to your daily lifestyle!

Let's live EVER BETTERâ„¢ - together!

Denise