Heart Attack Red Flags For Women You Should Recognize
When it comes to heart attacks, men and women have completely different experiences. Unlike men, who often have stifling chest pains, women have far more subtle symptoms that are often neglected until it is too late.
Here’s a list of 15 heart attack red flags for women.
Lightheadedness, Dizziness, or Fainting
Prior to suffering a heart attack, women may experience dizziness, lightheadedness, or the sense of passing out. A shortage of blood supply to the brain causes these symptoms.
While lightheadedness or dizziness does not always indicate the onset of a heart attack, if it occurs in conjunction with other symptoms on this list (particularly chest pain), it could indicate that insufficient blood flow is due to a blockage of one or more of the heart's arteries, which is what causes a heart attack.
Breathing Difficulties
If you're a woman, shortness of breath is a typical and alarming precursor to a heart attack. It may appear suddenly and without warning (i.e., without being triggered by physical exertion) for no obvious reason. When you're sitting still, imagine gasping for air as if you've just run up a few flights of stairs.
Exhaustion
When we spread ourselves too thin, take care of everyone but ourselves, we become exhausted. Heart attacks can be sneaky in this case, draining women's energy even though they've gotten enough sleep and eaten well.
Vomiting
As explained previously, women may experience nausea prior to having a heart attack, but nausea may be more than just feeling sick. Some women may vomit due to their sickness, while others may experience diarrhea and indigestion.
Because of their nature, many women dismiss these symptoms as being caused by food poisoning or gastroenteritis (the "stomach flu"). If you have shortness of breath, chest pain, or a cold sweat, it's more likely that you're having a heart attack. As a result, it's vital that you consult a doctor as soon as possible. 
Jaw Pain
Jaw discomfort can be a sign of a heart attack, but it is rare. This is due to the fact that when our heart has a problem, the nerves in the surrounding area react, creating discomfort in places other than the primary location. The jaw, however, is commonly overlooked as a symptom of heart disease because it is not located in the chest. 
Pain in Either Arm
Many of us have heard that when you have a heart attack, you may experience strong pain in your left arm. Women, on the other hand, can feel this acute discomfort in either arm. So, if you get severe discomfort in either arm, you should seek medical attention right once, especially if it is accompanied by additional heart attack symptoms.
Headaches
Another typical signal of a heart attack that women should be aware of is headaches. But this isn't just any headache. "...migraine headaches can be a warning indication of a heart attack," according to AgingCare.com.
According to studies, migraine headaches can be a sign of a heart attack, and women who have migraine with aura (a migraine accompanied by sensory indicators like blind spots, flashes of light, or tingling in the face or hand) are twice as likely to have a heart attack. So, if you're having a headache that matches this description, make an appointment with your doctor right away.
Disrupted Sleep
Women who have had a heart attack often remember waking up in the middle of the night, gasping for air. During a heart attack, this type of sleep apnea can develop, constricting the upper airway and depleting the heart of vital blood supply. 
Sharp Upper Body Pain
Women often suffer acute upper body pain when they have a heart attack, whereas men often feel "the weight of an elephant" on their chests. Women frequently complain of sharp, shooting pain or a steady, steadily rising ache in the upper arms, neck, or jaw. In any case, the pain may be so terrible that it causes you to wake up.
Heavy Perspiration
Once you have to present at a company meeting, you can break out in a cold, clammy sweat. However, many women who are having a heart attack begin to sweat even when there are no stressors present. The issue is that many women confuse this for a hot flash or attribute it to their menstrual cycle. 
Rapid Heart Rate
An excessively rapid heartbeat is typically accompanied by intense anxiety and sweating in women suffering from a heart attack. You might assume you're having an anxiety attack since it strikes unexpectedly, with your heart overexerting during a non-stressful activity.
Stomach Cramps
For unsuspecting women, abdominal pain that is usually dismissed with the comment "It must be something I ate!" often leads to a heart attack. So what you think is heartburn or a horrible intestinal infection (food poisoning) could potentially be a far more serious heart problem.
Neck, Shoulder, and Back Pain
Women may also have aches and discomfort in other places of the body that are close to the chest, such as the neck, shoulders, and back, in addition to the jaw pain stated previously.
Neck pain can range from "general discomfort" to a "choking or burning feeling in your throat," according to the National Heart Foundation of Australia, while shoulder pain can be described as "a general soreness, heaviness, or pressure around one or both of your shoulders." A dull discomfort between the shoulder blades is a common symptom of upper back pain.
Chest pain
While women do not experience the same crushing chest pain that men do during a heart attack, chest discomfort can nevertheless occur in the days leading up to and during a heart attack. Instead of pain, women experience a tight discomfort that is frequently described as a complete sensation across the entire chest, not just on the left side. 
Nausea
Nausea can occur for a variety of reasons and is not a prevalent symptom or warning sign associated with heart attacks. Nausea, on the other hand, can begin a few days before a heart attack. Because the heart attack doesn't strike right away, it's commonly attributed to something we ate.
