A heart attack happens when the blood flow to the heart is blocked. This can cause a variety of symptoms, which can be sudden or gradual.

According to The Heart Foundation, while chest pain or discomfort is the most common symptom of a heart attack, it doesn’t always develop, especially in women.

Women may be more likely than men to experience other symptoms of heart attack, report researchers from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA).

The symptoms of a heart attack can be seen in both genders.

The most common symptom of a heart attack in women is chest pain. This may feel like a lot of pressure, pain, or heartburn. It usually lasts for a few minutes or more.

It is common for women to have pain in one or more of the following areas during a heart attack.

  • The The jaw is broken. is broken.
  • The The neck is tight. is tight.
  • Lower back or The back.
  • The The shoulders are big. are big.
  • The The arm is extended. is extended.
  • The The abdomen is large. is large.

Other common symptoms in women

Other symptoms of a heart attack in women are listed.

  • The breath was very thin.
  • Nausea.
  • Lightheadedness, dizziness, and faintness.
  • “It’s cold.”

A heart attack may also cause.

  • fatigue
  • “It’s difficult to sleep.”
  • The general weakness.
  • Slow or fast heart rate.
  • A fluttering or pounding heart is what it is.
  • Or fear of something.

Shoulder pain from heart attack

Although heart attack is most commonly associated with chest pain, it can also cause pain or discomfort in other parts of the body.

Both women and men may experience shoulder pain. Women are more likely to suffer shoulder pain during a heart attack.

A 2018 study looked at 532 people who had an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a type of heart attack that affects the whole heart muscle wall. Shoulder pain was twice as common in women than men. Throat and back pain were also more common in women.

A heart attack in men can cause chest pain or other symptoms, which can be similar to pain, pressure, and fullness. It lasts for a while or goes away but comes back again.

Common symptoms in men

One of the most common symptoms of a heart attack in men is pain or uneasiness in one or more of the following areas.

  • The The jaw is broken. is broken.
  • The The neck is tight. is tight.
  • The back.
  • The The shoulders are big. are big.
  • The The arm is extended. is extended.
  • The The abdomen is large. is large.

Heart attack in men may also cause The breath was very thin..

Less common symptoms

Less common symptoms in men are not.

  • fatigue
  • Nausea.
  • Slow or fast heart rate.
  • dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
  • A fluttering or pounding heart is what it is.
  • “It’s cold.”
Medical illustration by Bailey Mariner

Both women and men have risk factors for heart attack. Family history, diet, and lack of physical activity are some of the factors included.

According to researchers in a 2017 review, women ages 18 to 55 have a higher rate of certain medical conditions that may increase their risk of a heart attack.

Some of the conditions include:

  • COPD is a disease of the lungs.
  • The kidneys fail.
  • There are conditions that are related to the autoimmune conditions.
  • cancer
  • Mental health conditions.

Certain risk factors that apply to both men and women may be experienced differently by women, such as:

  • High blood pressure. High blood pressure may develop during pregnancy or as a side effect of birth control pills.
  • High cholesterol. While estrogen can protect women against high cholesterol, levels of this hormone tend to drop after menopause.
  • Smoking. Both men and women smoke, but it’s been reported that women are less likely to quit successfully.

Women also have a higher rate of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes and obesity.

When to call 911

If you suspect that you or someone else is having a heart attack, call the emergency services right away. Immediate treatment can save lives.

Long-term follow-up care is important to improve outcomes.

Heart attack can cause damage to your heart muscle, which can lead to life threatening consequences. More research is needed, but it appears that there are more problems for women than for men.

According to a 2016 review from the AHA, women are more likely than men to develop symptoms of heart failure following a heart attack. They also have a higher risk of death in the months and years following a heart attack.

A review found that 26 percent of women and 19 percent of men die within a year of a first heart attack, and 47 percent of women and 36 percent of men die within 5 years.

Some reasons for these gender differences include:

  • “There may be a delay in recognizing women’s symptoms.”
  • Women may be treated differently.
  • There may not be enough women involved in the research.

If you have a heart attack, your doctor may recommend a combination of surgery and medication to restore blood flow to your heart and treat the underlying cause.

They may encourage you to change your lifestyle habits to reduce your risk of heart attacks.