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You might think that all heart attacks come with chest pain or discomfort in your left arm, but over the years research has shown that what Hollywood shows you about a heart attack isn’t. maybe not close to reality. Studies have shown that not only are these symptoms not characteristic of all patients, but women have different heart attack symptoms than men. And in many cases, red flags can arise weeks before the actual heart event, if you know what to look for. Historical American Heart Association (AHA) research on heart attacks in women found that 95% of them develop new symptoms a month before the event that go away after their heart attack, and 71% share the same subtle symptom. Read on to find out what it is.
RELATED: If You Notice This At Night, Your Risk For Heart Disease Is Doubled.
In 2003, the AHA conducted a survey of more than 500 women who survived heart attacks, the results of which were published in the journal Circulation. Among the 95 percent of participants who said they noticed something was wrong in the month before their heart attack, the most common was unexplained fatigue. According to research, 71% of women reported feeling tired for no logical reason in the weeks leading up to their heart attack.
In an article for the Cleveland Clinic, a cardiologist Leslie Cho, MD, explains that if your fatigue is new or dramatic, you should consider the possibility of a heart attack. According to Cho, if you’re exhausted after your typical workout, feel fatigued while resting, or if something as simple as making the bed gets you down, you should talk to your doctor.
It’s not just unexplained fatigue that could signal a heart attack. If you can’t sleep, that’s another cause for concern. According to the AHA survey, nearly half (48%) of women who survived a heart attack reported experiencing trouble sleeping up to a month before the event.
Which is why Cho said that if you feel unusually tired, but also experience trouble sleeping, it could be an early indicator of a heart attack.
RELATED: Women With These Symptoms Are 70% More Likely To Have Heart Disease.
The survey also found that only 31 percent of women had what is considered the telltale symptom of a heart attack: pain centered high in the chest. On top of that, 43% reported no chest pain during their heart attacks.
“The absence of significant chest pain may be a major reason women have more unrecognized heart attacks than men or are misdiagnosed and fired from emergency departments,” the researcher said. Jean C. McSweeney, PhD, RN, University of Arkansas professor of medical sciences, said in a statement at the time. “Many clinicians still consider chest pain to be the primary symptom of a heart attack.”
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While unexplained fatigue is the most common early sign of a heart attack, according to AHA research, women are more likely to report shortness of breath than any other symptom once their heart attack begins. Fifty-eight percent of respondents felt the symptom during their heart attack, while 42 felt it in the weeks before the heart event.
This is why the AHA says that if you experience shortness of breath, with or without chest pain, you should call 911 and get to the hospital as soon as possible.
Niéca Goldberg, MD, medical director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at NYU’s Langone Medical Center, told the AHA that women tend to attribute their heart attack symptoms to less fatal conditions like acid reflux or influenza. “There are still a lot of women who are shocked that they might be having a heart attack,” Goldberg said.
RELATED: 13 Signs Of A Heart Attack Women Can’t Afford To Miss.
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