Heart attack symptoms: men vs. women

February is Heart Month! Did you know that heart attack symptoms vary between men and women?

The five major symptoms of a heart attack are:

• Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back
• Feeling weak, light-headed or faint
• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back
• Pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder
• Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort

In addition to those, women are more likely to experience:

• Unusual or unexplained tiredness
• Nausea or vomiting

Many times women misdiagnose the symptoms of a heart attack because they don’t think they are at risk and attribute them to less severe conditions like heartburn or signs of menopause.
 
If you notice the symptoms of a heart attack in yourself or someone else, call 9-1-1 immediately. The sooner you get to an emergency room, the sooner you can receive treatment to prevent total blockage and heart muscle damage or reduce the amount of damage. Remember, the chances of surviving a heart attack are greater the sooner emergency treatment begins.