Heart Attack in Women: 10 Warning Signs You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Do you think heart attacks always show signs you can recognise? Probably not. Some symptoms don’t even originate in the chest and may be difficult to diagnose at first. If you’re a woman who is over 50 years old, we suggest you visit your doctor and get regular check-ups done. This is especially crucial if you’re obese, diabetic, have hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol, high blood pressure or a family history of heart conditions. It is because these risk factors make you more likely to be a candidate for a heart attack. The more risk factors you have, the more you should be concerned about your condition.

You must watch out for the following warning signs if you're positive for some of the above risk factors:

1. Pain in the Left Jaw: Jaw pain doesn’t directly suggest a heart attack. However, consistent jaw pain without any dental or oro-facial muscle disturbances might indicate a heart attack.
2. Chest discomfort: Chest discomfort is one of the most common signs of heart disease. If you’re having a heart attack, it is most likely to be due to a blocked artery which may present as tightness, pain or pressure in the chest for a few seconds to longer than a minute. However, it is also common to see a heart attack without chest pain in women.
3. Dizziness or Lightheadedness: Dizziness doesn’t only come from not feeding yourself well, getting up too fast or from dehydration. Sometimes, feeling breathless, chest discomfort and unsteady suddenly could indicate a heart attack.
4. Pain that extends to the left arm: Pain that extends from the chest to the left arm is a classic symptom of a heart attack. Some patients may not even have chest discomfort but only have consistent arm pain and may be diagnosed with a heart attack.
5. Easy and Unusual Fatigue: Sometimes, you may experience unusual weakness, fatigue or breathlessness even after doing simple tasks that you could do with ease in the past. If you experience any of these, get yourself checked immediately since it could indicate a heart attack, especially if you’re a woman.
6. Nausea, Heartburn, Indigestion, Stomach Pain: Women are more likely to experience digestive distress during a heart attack. The reasons for this disparity are still not very clear.
7. Unhealing Cough: Coughing isn’t a very common sign of a heart attack but may be indicative if you’re a serious heart patient. In addition, a long-lasting cough with white or pink mucous could indicate a heart attack.
8. Swelling in the lower extremities: A blocked coronary artery doesn’t allow the heart to function well and so leads to swelling in the lower extremities including the ankles, feet or calf. In addition, heart failure could also make it difficult for the kidneys to remove excess water from the body, leading to water retention in the lower extremities.
9. Irregular heartbeat: Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmias often lead to palpitations. However, not all palpitations are unsafe. If arrhythmias persist with any of the above-listed warning signs, you must consult your doctor immediately.
10. Sweating: Sweating profusely while you’re resting along with other signs such as breathlessness, chest discomfort and others listed above could also be a warning sign of a heart attack.

Even though the above-listed signs don’t always indicate a heart attack, they must be known to prevent one. A heart attack is a serious problem that needs to be addressed at the earliest since ignoring it could be fatal. Get yourself checked when in doubt. Doctors may suggest some tests or perform some examinations to diagnose your condition. It’s best to stay vigilant rather than regret it later.