WTEN: Signs of a Heart Attack in Women that Get Missed

January 27, 2022 Courtney Weisberg SPHP in the News

Jessica Saunders, M.D., of Albany Associates in Cardiology, appeared on WTEN/News10 in advance of American Heart Month, observed in February.

Dr. Saunders discussed risk factors for heart disease, which is the number one killer of women. She also discussed symptoms of heart attack, which often present differently in women.

From the story:

“People will not recognize necessarily because they’re used to thinking about it as a severe pain in the center in the chest. That is a common presentation but it does sometimes happen in other locations,” said Dr. Saunders.

Women are more likely than men are to have less typical signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Sometimes it can be a discomfort in the jaw, shoulder, arm, or the upper abdomen. “It’s often described as chest pain, but sometimes people, especially women, will often feel it in different ways than just the classic way you see on TV,” Saunders said.

Sometimes the symptoms in women are totally unrelated to chest pain and can include fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness. It’s important to recognize these signs of heart disease because time is of the essence.

“Definitely don’t delay, if the symptoms don’t seem to be subsiding within 5 minutes or so, the safest and surest thing to do is call 911 and get seen,” she said. The best thing you can do for your heart is quit smoking, eat a heart healthy diet, and stay physically active.

Click here to watch WTEN’s report.