Last updated on October 7th, 2024 at 05:10 pm
Women and heart health
Did you know that some studies suggest that silent heart attacks may be more common in women than in men? Heart disease in women is often overlooked or ignored. Women are always on their toes; therefore, they consider unusual fatigue a regular part of their life. But should it be so? Read on.
Understanding heart attacks
Heart attacks or myocardial infarctions occur when the blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced or blocked completely. This usually happens because the arteries supplying the heart with blood slowly narrow from a build-up of fat, cholesterol, and plaque. If your heart is not receiving adequate blood, the affected heart tissue may be damaged.
What are the pre-heart attack symptoms in women?
Common pre-heart attack symptoms in women include:
• Sharp or dull pain, discomfort, pressure, or heaviness in the chest
• Sharp or dull pain in the neck, jaw, or throat
• Pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen and back
• Nausea
• Extreme fatigue and general weakness
• Shortness of breath
Additional atypical pre-heart attack symptoms in women include:
• Heart palpitations, faster heartbeat
• A cold, clammy feeling
• Pain in the left breast, back, or between shoulder blades, neck or throat, jaw, arms, top of shoulders
Pre-heart attack symptoms in women can also include changes in skin colour, such as greying, or profuse sweating
What about a silent heart attack?
As the name suggests, sometimes a heart attack creeps up on you. A silent heart attack has minimal and frequently ignored symptoms, like extreme fatigue. Women may experience this for months without realising that it may be among the signs of a heart attack in women. Watch out for this common pre-heart attack symptom in women.
Risk factors for women’s heart disease and pre-heart attack symptoms in women
With the ever-increasing stress in your daily life, the heart takes on a lot of trauma frequently. But there are some factors that predispose women to heart diseases, such as:
• Hypertension
• High cholesterol
• Smoking
• Family history of cardiac disease
• Obesity
• Age
• Diabetes
• Menopause or premature menopause
• Depression
Prevention of heart attacks and pre-heart attack symptoms in women
While heart attacks are not as simple to prevent, some pre-emptive measures can be taken:
• Know and understand your risk factors
• Be aware of your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and follow treatment and medication plans if you have these conditions
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid smoking
• Manage stress
• Limit your alcohol intake
• Most importantly, listen to your body and any early signs of discomfort
Conclusion
The challenges of preventive measures for heart conditions are many. Mostly, pre-heart attack symptoms are difficult to recognise, more so because symptoms like fatigue are often overlooked.
Chronic tiredness may be an early symptom of heart problems. One of the most common pre-heart attack symptoms in women is fatigue, a sign of heart valve problems or heart failure.
Studies suggest that several people who experience chronic fatigue may have left ventricular dysfunction, a heart condition in which the left ventricle does not pump blood properly. The left ventricle pumps blood full of oxygen to the organs.
While fatigue may seem an intrinsic part of women’s lives, it should be treated with caution. It is best to understand if you are at risk for heart disease and take adequate steps to prevent it. Exercising regularly is one of the key ways to prevent heart attacks. Taking your symptoms seriously, consulting a cardiologist, and taking tests regularly are other ways of preventing it. Look out for the pre-heart attack symptoms in women and take steps to prevent them.
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FAQs:
1. What are three pre-heart attack symptoms in women?
The common heart problem symptoms in females are discomfort or pain in the chest, nausea and/or vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
2. How are pre-heart attack symptoms in men and women?
Pre-heart attack symptoms in women are different from those in men. While men tend to feel numbness in the left arm or side of the chest, one of the main pre-heart attack symptoms in women is pain and numbness only on the right side. Women may also experience extreme exhaustion.
3. Can women experience pre-heart attack symptoms for several days?
Yes, unusual and extreme fatigue, nausea, and weakness are often overlooked symptoms of heart attacks in women. Other heart attack symptoms include heart palpitations, flutter, a faster heartbeat, and pain in the left breast, back, between shoulder blades, neck, throat, jaw, arms, and on the top of shoulders.
4. When to see a doctor for a heart attack?
It’s easy to dismiss pre-heart attack symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath. Get in touch with a medical professional regarding heart disease if you think you may be at risk. The earlier these risk factors are treated or prevented, the less likely you are to develop heart disease or have heart attacks later in life. Doctors can help you with guidelines on prevention or if you are showing early heart problem symptoms.
