WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Video
WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Video
This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

Eating Chilli 4 Times Per Week Can Reduce Your Risk Of Death By Up to 40 Per Cent

Eating Chilli 4 Times Per Week Can Reduce Your Risk Of Death By Up to 40 Per Cent

Scientists Develop New Test That Diagnoses UTIs Using A Smartphone Camera

Scientists Develop New Test That Diagnoses UTIs Using A Smartphone Camera

Rachel Vercoe Is Proving Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis Doesn't Define Her

Rachel Vercoe Is Proving Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis Doesn't Define Her

Sia Gets Real About Her Chronic Pain And Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Diagnosis

Sia Gets Real About Her Chronic Pain And Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Diagnosis

{headline}

{headline}

Optimists Are More Than A Third Less Likely To Suffer A Heart Attack

Optimists Are More Than A Third Less Likely To Suffer A Heart Attack

Eating A Mediterranean Diet During Pregnancy Reduces The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes

Eating A Mediterranean Diet During Pregnancy Reduces The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes

New Study Finds Botox May Ease Symptoms Of Endometriosis

New Study Finds Botox May Ease Symptoms Of Endometriosis

{headline}

{headline}

Eating At This Time Raises Your Risk Of Heart Attacks And Diabetes

Eating At This Time Raises Your Risk Of Heart Attacks And Diabetes

Doing 10 Minutes Of This Can Offset A Whole Day Of Sitting

Doing 10 Minutes Of This Can Offset A Whole Day Of Sitting

The Internet Is Losing It After Discovering What Milk Ducts Actually Look Like

The Internet Is Losing It After Discovering What Milk Ducts Actually Look Like

10 Signs Of Burnout And How To Treat It

10 Signs Of Burnout And How To Treat It

Celeste Barber On Recovering From Open Heart Surgery At 25 Years Old

Celeste Barber On Recovering From Open Heart Surgery At 25 Years Old

Anna Kendrick Was Hospitalised With Kidney Stones – Here’s What That Means

Anna Kendrick Was Hospitalised With Kidney Stones – Here’s What That Means

Turns Out A Cup Of Tea A Day Could Keep The Doctor Away

Turns Out A Cup Of Tea A Day Could Keep The Doctor Away

  1. Home
  2. Health

6 Surprising Symptoms Of Heart Attacks In Women

It’s nothing like what you see in the movies, or even in men… - by Lauren Williamson
  • 03 Sep 2019
6 Surprising Symptoms Of Heart Attacks In Women
Getty Images

The statistics around heart attack diagnosis and treatment in women around the world are alarming. Not only are females half as likely as men to receive proper treatment, they’re also twice as likely to die within six months after being discharged.

Julie Anne Mitchell, Director of Prevention at the Heart Foundation, says this shows a troubling lack of awareness.

“Almost three times as many women will die of heart disease than will of breast cancer. Films, books and TV shows regularly reinforce the view that heart attacks only happen to men,” Julie Anne told Women’s Health.

It also reflects the concerning trend of dismissing women’s health concerns.

“Some medical staff do not always think a woman may be having a heart attack and may attribute her symptoms to other conditions; this can in turn lead to a delay in the diagnosis of a heart attack.”

This unconscious bias is highlighted in new research that found women suffering heart attacks were more likely to die when being treated by a male doctor. 

Adding to the complexity of the issue, heart attack can present very differently in women, compared to men.

“We also know that the warning signs of a heart attack in women can be more subtle, leading to delays in women getting to hospital as quickly as they should.”

“Chest pain is a common sign of a heart attack in both men and women. However, women are more likely to experience symptoms not involving chest pain.”

Symptoms of heart attack in women include:

  1. Pain, pressure, heaviness or tightness in their arm(s), shoulder(s), neck, jaw or back
  2. Cold sweat
  3. Nausea
  4. Shortness of breath
  5. Dizziness
  6. Lightheadedness

“The bottom line is to trust your intuition and act fast: call triple zero if you think something is wrong,” Julie Anne says. “The quicker you get treatment, the better your chances of survival. And if it turns out not to be a heart attack, then that is the best outcome of all.”

Julie Anne also recommends having a heart health check with your doctor to know your personal risk of heart disease; understanding the warning signs of a heart attack and act fast if you think something is wrong; and help raise awareness of this issue by telling three women you know why heart health in women is important.

The Heart Foundation is also working with health professionals to ensure our messages about women and heart disease are reinforced.  

"We also need to increase our understanding of heart disease in women," she adds. "Most heart research done in the past had been conducted on men and then the findings applied to women. But we now know that a woman’s body size and the role of hormones across a woman’s life can have some influence on her heart health. Recognising this, the Heart Foundation has funded research specifically to investigate how heart disease in women is developed, diagnosed and managed. This will add to the growing level of new knowledge in this area."

RELATED: One Of The Biggest Myths About Dairy Has Just Been Busted

  • Health
  • Medical Conditions
Lauren Williamson
Lauren Williamson
Lauren Williamson is the Digital Content Manager for Women's Health and Men's Health. She's an experienced journalist, editor and social media fiend who's well versed in reporting on everything from food trends to fitness, health news to haircare. She has a double degree in Journalism and Political Science.

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

Eating Chilli 4 Times Per Week Can Reduce Your Risk Of Death By Up to 40 Per Cent

Eating Chilli 4 Times Per Week Can Reduce Your Risk Of Death By Up to 40 Per Cent

Scientists Develop New Test That Diagnoses UTIs Using A Smartphone Camera

Scientists Develop New Test That Diagnoses UTIs Using A Smartphone Camera

Rachel Vercoe Is Proving Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis Doesn't Define Her

Rachel Vercoe Is Proving Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis Doesn't Define Her

Sia Gets Real About Her Chronic Pain And Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Diagnosis

Sia Gets Real About Her Chronic Pain And Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Diagnosis

{headline}

{headline}

Optimists Are More Than A Third Less Likely To Suffer A Heart Attack

Optimists Are More Than A Third Less Likely To Suffer A Heart Attack

Eating A Mediterranean Diet During Pregnancy Reduces The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes

Eating A Mediterranean Diet During Pregnancy Reduces The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes

New Study Finds Botox May Ease Symptoms Of Endometriosis

New Study Finds Botox May Ease Symptoms Of Endometriosis

{headline}

{headline}

Eating At This Time Raises Your Risk Of Heart Attacks And Diabetes

Eating At This Time Raises Your Risk Of Heart Attacks And Diabetes

Doing 10 Minutes Of This Can Offset A Whole Day Of Sitting

Doing 10 Minutes Of This Can Offset A Whole Day Of Sitting

The Internet Is Losing It After Discovering What Milk Ducts Actually Look Like

The Internet Is Losing It After Discovering What Milk Ducts Actually Look Like

10 Signs Of Burnout And How To Treat It

10 Signs Of Burnout And How To Treat It

Celeste Barber On Recovering From Open Heart Surgery At 25 Years Old

Celeste Barber On Recovering From Open Heart Surgery At 25 Years Old

Anna Kendrick Was Hospitalised With Kidney Stones – Here’s What That Means

Anna Kendrick Was Hospitalised With Kidney Stones – Here’s What That Means

Turns Out A Cup Of Tea A Day Could Keep The Doctor Away

Turns Out A Cup Of Tea A Day Could Keep The Doctor Away

WomensHealth
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Paragon Media
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Paragon Media

Brands

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
  • Men’s Health
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now