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Women Heart Attack Symptoms

April 27, 2011 By thstress 2 Comments

Article by Alan Katz

Heart attack or myocardial infarction results from the death of heart tissues because of complete blockage in one of the coronary arteries. Symptoms of heart attack in women are different than those in men. Women may have some additional symptoms than discomfort and chest pain.

Most people think that heart attack symptoms are the same in men and women. But that’s not the fact. Heart attack symptoms are significantly different in women and men. First let’s known about what is a heart attack? Heart is a muscular organ that plays an important role in circulation of blood throughout the body. When one of the coronary arteries that supply blood to heart is completely blocked, it causes death of heart tissues resulting in heart attack or myocardial infarction. In most cases, coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, causes the blockage of coronary artery. Besides, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, heredity, age, high fat diet, stress, lack of exercise and smoking are some common causes of heart attack.

Heart Attack in Women

Heart attack is one of the main causes of death in women after breast cancer. Over-weight women with high cholesterol levels are at a higher risk of heart attack. After menopause, due to changes in hormonal levels (estrogen), women are more prone to heart attack. Obesity, stress, smoking, diabetes, high levels of LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, inactive lifestyle and family history of coronary disease are some of the risk factors for heart attack in women. Women taking birth control pills are also more vulnerable to this disease.

Early Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

The most common symptoms of heart attack, observed in both men and women, are chest pain, discomfort or pressure in the chest, upper body pain, shortness of breath, sweating, anxiety, nausea and vomiting. However, these symptoms are more severe in men than in women. Some major symptoms that a woman may experience prior to heart attack are unusual fatigue, sleep disturbances, anxiety, indigestion and shortness of breath.

Some of the common heart attack symptoms in women are as follows: * Shortness of breath, not accompanied by chest pain * Sweating * Tightness in chest * Sudden dizziness or loss of consciousness * Feeling of heartburn or indigestion * Stomach or abdominal pain * Flu-like symptoms, cold sweats and nausea * Unexplained weakness and fatigue * Loss of appetite, general discomfort and a feeling of anxiety * Pain in neck, lower jaw, shoulder and upper back * Sense of impending doom

Weakness, shortness of breath and unusual fatigue are the three most common symptoms that are seen mostly in women before heart attack. In addition, women more typically experience nausea, lightheadedness and cold sweats. On the other hand, men more often experience severe chest pain as the major symptom of heart attack.

Understanding the early symptoms of heart attack is helpful for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. It is difficult to diagnose heart attack in women due to somewhat unrelated symptoms. That’s why it is possible that women’s heart attack remains neglected and left untreated. When women experience any of above-mentioned symptoms, they should immediately contact the doctor. As heart attack is a medical emergency, it is very important to get immediate medical treatment. Diagnosis of heart attack is done on the basis of electrocardiogram (EKG) and some laboratory investigations such as serum troponin levels and determination of cardiac enzymes such as Creatine phosphokinase, Creatine phosphokinase-MB, etc.

The treatment of heart attack focuses on immediately opening the blocked artery and restoring the blood flow to heart muscles. There are various treatment options such as anti-platelet medications, anti-coagulant medications, clot dissolving medications, coronary angiography with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, medications to reduce the need for oxygen by the heart muscles, medications to prevent abnormal heart rhythms and supplemental oxygen.

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Don’t Let a Heart Attack Take Your Heart and Your Life

April 27, 2011 By thstress Leave a Comment

Article by Robert Langtry

A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart is blocked. Unless unblocked, that part of the heart may suffer permanent damage and the person may not survive heart attack. This blockage can be caused by a plaque buildup in the coronary artery that breaks loose. Another cause is spasms of the coronary artery which restricts the flow of blood and oxygen. Stress and kidney disease are also causes. Women taking birth control pills are also at a high risk of heart attack.

Men suffer heart attack more than women and also suffer more symptoms than women. The signs of a heart attack for men include pain and pressure in the chest similar to indigestion or heartburn and achyness in one or both arms, back, neck, and jaw bone. They also experience a fast or irregular heartbeat, hard to breathe, stomach pain, coughing, vomiting, dizziness, anxiety, heavy perspiration, and even fainting. The signs of a heart attack for women include non-stop upset stomach and vomiting, difficulty breathing, sudden weak feeling, indigestion, and fainting. A silent heart attack is when a person experiences no symptoms, but tests show they did suffer a heart attack.

Upon feeling the first signs of a heart attack, an ambulance should be called instead of waiting for the symptoms to subside which could be fatal. At the hospital, the patient will be given oxygen, aspirin, nitroglycerin, and medication for the pain. The doctor will also take xrays, perform blood tests to check for heart damage, and perform an EKG to check heart rhythms.

Once a person suffers a heart attack, they are at a higher risk to suffer a second attack. The symptoms of a second attack may be completely different from the first attack. It is important to take steps to prevent a second happening of this scary and possibly fatal occurrence.

Those who are more likely to suffer a heart attack are people who smoke, have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, are overweight, do not exercise, are diabetics, and have a family history of heart problems and heart attacks. Men age 45 and over and women age 55 and over who have gone through menopause are also at high risk.

Over one million people in the United States suffer from heart attacks each year. Approximately half die or have permanent damage to their heart. The risk of heart attack can be decreased by eating healthy foods that are low in fat and salt as well as vegetables and fruits. They should also lower cholesterol and blood pressure, lose weight, become a nonsmoker, exercise, and stay active. It is also important for diabetics to control their diabetes under a doctor’s care.

It is important for people to know the warning signs of a heart attack. Living a healthy lifestyle will greatly decrease the chances of this happening. Those living an unhealthy life need to change their habits before it is too late and they don’t survive heart attack. Waiting until next week to diet, quit smoking, start exercising, and generally take care of themselves may be too late. Sometimes the potential sufferer will be given warning signs of lower scale symptoms of heart attack. They should take heed of these signs and take the necessary steps to lessen the risk of heart attack. It is possible for the person who has never had heart trouble to have a massive heart attack without warning. That is why it is important for those feeling the warning signs to do something before something is done to them that they have no control over.

About the Author

Robert has been researching the heart and its many diverse areas for the last 8 years. From heart attack to heart disease, this has now become Robert’s passion. Running the web blog MyHeartyHeart.com, Robert has released and provided some of the most influential and useful information about the heart and all things belonging to it.

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10 Myths About Heart Attacks Debunked!

April 27, 2011 By thstress Leave a Comment

 

There are a number of myths about heart care and more specifically about heart attacks. We obviously want to stay clear of heart ailments so we carry with us a number of beliefs about things that we consider will either keep us safe from or make us more prone to heart attacks.  But many of these may be misguiding or downright wrong. So let us do away with the unnecessary fears and learn what will actually help our hearts.

Below are some common misconceptions that we try to clear for you:

If you are fit you are not prone to heart attacks

Most of our doctors, health magazines and elders stress on the fact that those who are overweight, eat out a lot, or do not exercise are more susceptible to heart attacks. While they are not wrong, those who are thin, do regular exercise and eat proper are not safe from heart attacks either.  This is because cholesterol depositions which are the most common cause of clogging of arteries can be present in thin people too.  Physical appearance can many times mask an underlying health problem.

Moreover heart problems and heart attacks are also genetic. So if you have a history of heart issues in your family you are likely to get it too. There are also factors like diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure that put you at a risk, no matter your weight. Gender and age also matter. So in spite of how healthy you look or feel, get a check up to ascertain your heart’s health!

It’s easy to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack

While we are pretty used to watching men, in the typical Bollywood movies, clutching their chests and falling down from what is apparently a heart attack, it needn’t come so obviously. The classic symptoms of a heart attack include a heavy feeling in the chest that may be painful. But the heaviness or pain may spread to the left arm, neck, or jaw.

Symptoms include:

Chest pain
Pressure, heaviness or tightness in the chest
Pain or pressure in the neck or jaw
Pain or pressure in one or both arms (especially the left)
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Nausea
Pain or throbbing between the shoulder blades

Many people suffer from heart attacks but assume it is only a heartburn or fatigue. When it comes to your heart, it’s important to consult a doctor rather than to self diagnose!

No chest pain means no heart attack

Most of us believe that if we were having a heart attack, it would involve having a chest pain. But as mentioned above recognizing a heart attack isn’t that easy. The classic signs include chest pain but it needn’t really cause chest pain. According to CNN, 40 to 60 percent of all heart attacks are unrecognized by their victims. If you’re having some sort of unusual discomfort in your back, chest or upper arms, whether or not it is in the middle of your back or the middle of your chest, don’t wait until your heart stops; go to a hospital and get a check up done.

Women do not suffer from heart attacks

Since womenin movies do not clutch at their hearts and collapse to the floor it is assumed that women do not suffer from heart attacks. True, women are less prone to heart attacks before menopause due to the presence of estrogen, which protects them from heart attacks, but post menopause women are just as prone to heart attacks as men are.  In fact, probably more.

According to statistics: [courtesy Women's Heart Foundation]

Worldwide, 8.6 million women die from heart diseases each year (including heart attacks), accounting for a third of all deaths in women.
Women are twice as likely as men to die within the first few weeks after suffering a heart attack.
38% of women and 25% of men die within one year of a first recognized heart attack.

Women have the same symptoms as men have for a heart attack

Women do not usually experience the commonly expected chest pain as men do when they suffer from heart attacks. 71% of women experience early warning signs of heart attack with sudden onset of extreme weakness that feels like the flu – often with no chest pain at all. Nearly two-thirds of the deaths from heart attacks in women occur among those who have no history of chest pain at all. Even if they do experience mild chest discomfort they simply do not perceive it to be a heart attack like men do. So they must get any abnormal pain checked up.

Here are some of the symptoms of female heart attack:

Shortness of breath
Weakness
Unusual fatigue
Nausea
Dizziness
Abdominal discomfort that may seem like indigestion

Medical professionals are challenged to respond to women’s milder symptoms, due to insufficient information.

If you have chest pain wait and see if it goes away

If you have a pain in your chest, you definitely must not sit around and wait to see if it goes away. If you’re having significant chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or any other symptoms that suggest a heart attack, call a hospital or any clinic’s emergency number. If you delay treatment when you are having a heart attack you could cause irreparable damage to your heart and it could also prove to be fatal.

You cannot die simply out of fear or severe emotions

It is possible to die of fright, or for that matter grief, anger, joy, or just about any other intense emotion. Though usually victims are older and likely to be in unstable health conditions, even younger people could be so affected. It is possible for a terrifying event to trigger a fatal heart attack.

Multiple scientific studies show that important mind and body connections exist for health in general and cardiovascular health in particular. Your levels of stress and wellbeing are extremely important for your cardiovascular health. Higher stress levels or negative emotions like anger or depression could burden your heart pumping due to release of certain hormones in our blood stream like adrenalin. You should therefore look for ways and means to reduce stress and negative emotions in your lives.

If you are young you will have no heart problems

Though predominantly those who are older are more prone to having a heart attack, it is possible to start developing coronary artery disease as a teenager. People in their 20s and 30s have suffered from heart attacks. A heart-healthy lifestyle needs to begin in the childhood, so that kids don’t develop bad habits that they carry to adulthood. Parents should encourage their kids to exercise, limit time spent in front of the television or computer screen, and partake healthy, well-balanced meals.

Children, who are obese, have high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease are at a higher risk. Also, although rare, some children (usually due to genetic differences) can have unusually high cholesterol and thus an increased risk for heart disease.

Another problem today is the kind of lifestyle that we live. Especially the young working population today lives an unbalanced life with no exercise, a lot of junk food and high stress levels. Not to mention overexposure to technology implements that is proving to harm our lives. For this populatonis it especially necessary to have regular checkups and a conscious effort to maintain a well balanced life. To know more about 10 Myths About Heart Attacks Debunked!

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