Filed under: Heart Attack

heart attack symptoms

Read and learn more about heart attack symptoms. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: How do heart attack symptoms differ between men and women?
What are the symptoms of a heart attack and how do they differ between men and women?

A: central chest pain (heaviness or tightness or squeezing type of pain) radiating to the left arm and sometimes to the right arm , tha neck and jaw. shortness of breath and excessive sweating Loss of consciousness and sudden death
The most common symptoms of MI in women include dyspnea, weakness, and fatigue. Fatigue, sleep disturbances, and dyspnea have been reported as frequently occurring symptoms which may manifest as long as one month before the actual clinically manifested ischemic event. In women, chest pain may be less predictive of coronary ischemia than in men

Q: When symptoms start, how long until a heart attack usually occurs?
I thought I might be having heart attack symptoms about two days ago, and now today I have some chest discomfort. Do heart attack occur the day symptoms start? its been nearly 3 days now.
I just think I might only be sick…since I have a runny nose and I’m only 15. I am overweight though…

A: For the sake of all, people tend to ignore heart attack symptoms- “it’s not happening to me”. As a result they make their condition worse and reduce their chance of survival. Heart attacks usually don’t come in the “movie” variety where everyone knows what’s wrong. More often it’s a little pain that comes and goes, indigestion etc. Sometimes they are silent and you cannot tell it happened; those are the worst. There are drugs that can be administered shortly after an attack that can remove the clot and save damage. If you wait, it’s too late for that and the heart muscle that died is gone forever.

It’s a standard routine in ER’s . The only way to know if it is a heart attack or not is to get there and get tested. Don’t worry about going and finding out it’s nothing. Worry about not going and finding out later it was something. That little ache in the arm or back pain may be the only warning you get.

Heart attack symptoms attached.

Q: What is a condition that mimics heart attack symptoms?
Not a heart attack, angina, gastro, or anxiety. EKG is clean. Symptoms were chest discomfort, lightheadedness, palpitations, nausea, elevated blood pressure.

Just interested. Know someone who is stumped about this.
Respiratory difficulties too.
Cholesterol is great, it’s not a stroke. It’s not stress.
Isn’t stress and anxiety the same thing?
It’s not me, don’t worry.
Stop saying anxiety.

A: Orgasm.

Q: Could these be heart attack symptoms in a female?
I just experienced these very weird feelings tonight while on here and for the first time 2 days ago. I am a bit concerned they could be early warnings of a stroke/ heart attack. I am over 35 and do smoke and take the pill. I am not over weight, have low cholesterol, BP, etc and my GP says a low dose estrogen pill for me is okay.

Here are the symptoms- I know in women they can be different than men. It starts with intense and sudden pain on the bones of both jaws and then is followed by a tightness in my forehead and then a crushing pain in an oval right above my breasts in the center of my chest. Along with that, I am just awash with a general ill feeling and then after about 10-15 minutes it passes. I will ask my GP Monday about this but do any of you know if these could be warning signs.? Thanks
Thanks- I am fully aware of the risks and trust my GP. In cases of NO other risk factors being present, as in my case, smoking women over 35 only have a 1% greater risk than others on the pill. I am not asking for a DX, just curious if anyone has heard of these symptoms. :)

A: You could be having some typre of seizure or allergic reaction. I was in the Air Force for 4 1/2 years when I started have trouble concentrating. I found out that I had frontal lobe epilepsy that was compounded by rapid changes in air pressure (from being in a helicopter.)

It’s good that you’re going to the doctor.

Q: heart attack symptoms in woman 40 have you had one?
I had a pain run up my left side from the bottom up and over to my chest, which struck me from moving for a second . and my left arm hurts, but thats the only symptom. Anyone had a heart attack only reply please, what was your symptoms, and if you had this pain, doesnt a attack come on pretty quick after the symptoms?
also pain is now in mid back shoulders. though I would think it would of hurt more my chest is burning a tiny bit and thats it. panic attack?

A: Don’t screw around….call 9-1-1 and GO TO THE HOSPITAL WITH THE PARAMEDICS.

Women do not have “typical” heart attack symptoms, so you must rule out cardiac causes first.

Q: How long can heart attack symptoms last?
I’ve had chest discomfort for almost 2 months now. The discomfort always goes away when I press down on parts of my ribs. However, the slight pain always occurs in different parts of the left chest. I’ve also been having jaw discomfort that feels like a growing pimple in the area where the neck joins the lower jaw on both sides of my face. My doctors did an EKG, listened to my heart beat, did an x-ray, tested my blood, and said I am fine. I am 16 years old and I am afraid I might have a heart attack. Any suggestions?

A: An ECG will have revealed if you have had a heart attack, also a blood test will have shown something.

When I was 28 I had a heart attack and had no jaw ache, no pain on my left side, just a crushing feeling in the centre of my chest. I thought I was OK cause I didnt have any of the above ‘commonly’ reported symptons ( I thought that you were only having a heart attack if you felt shooting pains down your left arm) – Bottom line, never take chances with chest pain, whatever your age. By all means get a second opinion on the chest pain, but after the tests you’ve had I would rule out heart problems.

Also, a high percentage of patients who have sufferred a heart attack dont get any Jaw pain or left sided shooting pains. If this is your guide to deciding whether you are having a heart attack, you could be putting yourself in danger.

Q: How long do you get heart attack symptoms for?
I heard that it is about 3 months, so if you have had symptoms on and off for about twice that are you ok? (pain in left shoulder, arms, headaches, high blood pressure…)

A: This Patient Guide is written for the loved ones of heart patients who are dealing with the short-term stress that comes with a test, procedure or recent diagnosis of heart disease. It explains why support is so important to a loved one with heart disease. It also offers practical strategies on how to support a loved one while also taking care of yourself.

Q: Can these be the symptoms of a female heart attack
or something else.

these past few days i have been feeling very strange, i have been having what i call a “bullet head ache” because one side of my head the very front left side aches but no where else except directly in the same spot but in the back of my head, so its kinda like a gun shot.

then comes the dizzy spells, one got so bad i actually had to lay down with my eyes shut.

sometimes there will be intense nausea, followed by no vomiting, but the nausea is enough torture as it is.
i also been having sharp pains in my stomach, around where my liver is, and my uterus.

i checked web md for female heart attack symptoms, and i have some but not all.
so can anyone help me please? tell me if this is normal, or should i see a doctor?

**headaches
**nausea
**sharp abdomen pains
**dizziness

A: Sounds more like a migraine or sinus headache. The dizziness and cause the abdomenial pain and nausea.

Q: What are the heart attack symptoms for a woman?
Currently my head hurts from my earline back and down my neck. My chest feels a bit heavy and my left arm is achy. I’ve heard that the arm ach is not a valid system for women. Should I be concerned?

A: Women usually present with atypical signs of a heart attack (myocardial infarction). This means that the usual symptom you hear about- like crushing chest pain, may not be the number one sign for women like it is for men. Women usually have symptoms like nausea/vomiting, radiating pain in the jaw, neck, back, and down the arms, as well as chest pain. An arm ache is a valid symptom of a heart attack in women- but think of it more like radiating pain down the arm. And also, take into consideration what you have been doing physically. Did you just exercise or use your arms strenuously? Have you ever had chest pain before? If so, does the pain go away when you rest for a little while? Normally, chest pain (angina) goes away at rest, but the pain of a heart attack doesn’t. You should make an appointment with your doctor asap and tell him about your symptoms. He can draw some blood to see if your heart has been damaged from a heart attack. And not all heart attacks are huge! People can have heart attacks so small they don’t experience any symptoms. BUT- they are serious and you should always have it checked out…even if you feel doubtful and silly. Lay down, take an aspirin and a Tylenol and see if your pain gets any better. If it doesn’t, or it gets worse, call 911. You never know…and you don’t want to take that chance.

Q: What’s the difference between heart attack and anxiety and panic attack symptoms?
I’m curious because even though I’m told I’m too young for a heart attack, I’m 18 by the way, I’m afraid to get one… Now I’ve read into a lot of sites and have noticed that the three conditions have almost EXACT symptoms to one another. So how can you tell between these three?

A: Patrick

To tell you the truth, most people wouldnt know the difference in the symptoms. A panic attack can feel just like a heart attack. Even doctors are sometimes unable to tell untill tests are run.

Dont get in the habit of researching symptoms online, you will jump to the wrong conclusion and at the same time feed your panic symptoms.

If you find you are doing this a lot, researching and getting more anxious, you are probably developing a health anxiety disorder. The best thing to do is to see a doctor, have a few tests and talk to the doctor about your anxiety.

Q: Physiological explanation of heart attack symptoms?
I know the symptoms but was wondering about the actual physiological mechanisms that cause them. If anyone knows the reason for any of the following symtpoms occurance during, in the lead up to or after a heart attack please help me out!

Cold Sweat?
Skin paling?
Difficulty breathing (acute and prolonged)
Prolonged fatigue?
Rapid heart beat?
lightheadedness/dizziness?
Fainting?

Also, do many of these symtpoms have something to do with the autonomic nervous system going haywire?

Thanks!!

A: A heart attack, or myocardial infarction is when the blood supply to your heart muscle (through coronary arteries) is cut off to the point that there is not sufficient oxygen to keep your myocardium (heart muscle) alive.
This causes necrosis (death) of heart muscle which is what causes the severe pain. The cardiac output of the heart (volume pumped out) falls and so blood supply to the tissues drops, causing the paleness. As a response to the lack of oxygen, the heart rate is increased (as it is in exercise) to try to get sufficient blood to your tissues.
Breathlessness occurs due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the tissues) but also severe chest pain can cause difficulty breathing. The dizziness and fainting are caused by lack of oxygen to your brain. Other symptoms are a result of shock.

Q: Can you have heart attack symptoms without a heart attack?
Intense chest pain, radiating to back, numbness in arm, EKG and blood chemistry negative.

A: Yes, but most panic attacks look like heart attacks. You should still consult a doctor.

Q: Is coughing one of the heart attack symptoms?
My friend has high blood pressure and I’m worried about him. Please let me know.

A: If he is on ACE medicine usually dry coughing is caused by that type of medication. If not on BP medication, then coughing is actually beneficial for his heart.

Q: How long to heart attack symptoms last til it gets worse?
How long would someone be able to walk around andstay alive without medical attention

A: until they die!

Q: do heart attack symptoms happen all at once, or is it over a period of days?
On Friday of last week, i had very sharp pain in my left wrist, and couldn’t move it. Saturday it was gone, but i have had a painful feeling in my neck, like if i move wrong, and there is a slight pain on the inside, and today i have had chest pain, but no shortness of breath, or nausea. I’m very scared.
when i gently push the front left side of my neck, something pops around.
i push on the left side, and something moves back, but while doing so it pops.

A: Yes.
Heart attack symptoms can appear days before an actual heart attack. Symptoms include acute chest pains (which may be mistaken for indigestion), strugling for breath, uncomfort of almost any kind (this is usually accompanied with other common symptoms) Also a pain in the right arm is a common symptom.

Your symptoms sound like maybe youve put strain on your arm whilst doing something, worrying about it is probably causing you to feel a bit nausious aswell. If youre very worried call someone or go see a doctor.
If your a particualrly young person it is unlikley to be a heart attack.

Hope this helped and everythings ok :) .

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heart attacks

Read and learn more about heart attacks. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: Heart Attacks?
My girlfriends father passed away from a heart attack a few years ago. Then her mother just had two attacks. Does that mean she is likely to have one too?

A: Krista – This question generates a lot of confusion, as you can see. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US accounting for over a quarter (>25%) of all deaths. Because it is so common, just having parents with heart disease does not necessarily mean a person is at an increased risk for the same.

When doctors say that a “family history” of heart disease is a risk factor, they are talking about a family history of premature (or early) heart disease. This is defined as a first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child) who was diagnosed with or died of heart disease before the age of 65 for female relatives, or before the age of 55 in male relatives.

Women with a family history of early heart disease are about 3 times more likely to have a heart attack and 5 times more likely to die of heart disease compared to women without a family history.

If your girlfriend’s father was over 55 when he was diagnosed with heart problems and her mother is over 65, she is not considered to be high risk based on family history. (She might still be at high risk for heart disease, though, if she smokes or has other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.)

Q: Heart attacks?
My uncle was told that the front half of his heart was dead. Can you please tell me more about this? He has a pacemaker, and has had several heart attacks.
Thank You
Wanda Shepherd

A: It means that the muscle is dead from the blood supply being cutoff during one or more of his heart attacks. The part that is dead, of course, is not functioning. Note: I am not a doctor, but I’ve read enough about these things to know.

Q: heart attacks?
are heart attacks common in younger people(20’s)

A: it is rare but if it runs in the family it could happen. gas pains are also similar to heart attack symptom. good luck

Q: How many strokes/Heart attacks happen in people with normal Cholesterol and blood pressure levels?
I understand people with High cholesterol or high blood pressure have a much increased chance of having a stroke or heart attack, but how many people have strokes/heart attacks that have completely normal blood pressure levels and normal cholesterol levels? In percentages…

A: “Michael M” is a person with no medical/scientific training who posts inaccurate statements about cholesterol & heart disease.

Cholesterol is ONE factor in heart disease, not the only one.
When I did cardiology, we would sometimes see these patients come in with an MI. We’d often send a blood sample off for NMR (nuclear spectography) for particle size analysis.

Q: How can 26 year old athletes die of heart attacks?
Ive heard about atleast 4 cases where young men and women die of heart attacks while playing sports. These people are as fit as a bull and yet their having heart attacks.

How is this possible?

A: If you have underlying health problems, it really wont show up unless you look for it…or unfortunately you die

Q: Why do heart attacks often happen so suddenly?
Why do heart attacks often happen so suddenly? I’ve heard of stories where one minute a person can be fine and the next minute he/she can literally “drop dead” from a heart attack.

A: As a rule, they don’t actually happen all that suddenly. We just ignore the symptoms or try to pass them off as something like heartburn.

However, in a case like that where a person is dead so quickly…

Its most likely because an artery was blocked up completely and very quickly. This would probably occur because of blood clots in the veins. Dick Cheney for example was diagnosed with this problem. His blood is too “thick,” and the platelets that congeal to form scabs were forming scabs inside the veins and arteries.

Most likely they have too much cholesterol and it catches those platelets. They form together into a “scab” or more accurately a blood clot. The clot breaks away and travels in the blood stream as long as it doesn’t catch anywhere.

Those that have such a quick heart attack probably had one of those clots catch somewhere and block up the whole system. Without any blood reaching the heart, the heart starts losing oxygen. It realizes a problem and pumps as hard as it can to break through, which only shoots the blood pressure way high. The heart overworks and stops immediately. This is usually when the person collapses and dies.

CPR can help. But until that blockage is broken through, most likely oxygen will not get to the heart. It stays dead and eventually the person can’t be resuscitated.

Q: Why do the recommend low doses of aspirin to help prevent heart attacks?
I dont have heart issues but I do have anxiety issues. Anxiety attacks feel like heart attacks so I have been told. I have had a few tests on my heart while having anxiety attacks and luckily my problem is just anxiety. However, my docs still tell me to take a low dose of aspirin daily. What does the aspirin do to help with heart health? How does it work and exactly what does it do to help prevent heart attacks?

A: The use of preventive dose of aspirin given on daily basis is a controversial subject, more so because in a few cases it can cause life-threatening gastro-intestinal bleeding( a medico colleague of mine had it and and since gave it up) Do the beneft out weigh the risks, especially for normal individuals with no predisposition of cardiac illness.

The question of whether prophylactic aspirin protects individuals at low risk of cardiovascular disease keeps being asked (though the exact dose at which it effective keeps being overlooked). Bandolier 86 carried a review examining the risks and benefits of aspirin use that looked at both coronary events prevented and harmful bleeds produced. The balance tipped from benefit to harm when the annual risk of a cardiovascular event was below 1%. Primary prevention is probably worthwhile at coronary risks of 1.5% a year or more, risks and benefits are balanced at an annual risk of 1%, and aspirin use is unsafe when the risk is 0.5% or less.

Low risk was defined as having no more than one of a list of risk factors, including hypertension, high cholesterol or LDL, family history, smoking, diabetes, age over 45 years in men and 55 in women, angina, and past cardiovascular events.

Q: Heart attacks and drinking cold water during a meal?
The whole thing sounds like bogus info to me. Could it possibly be true that drinking hot or warm water, tea, etc. while and just after eating could prevent heart attacks?

A: I got a chain email about that a while ago. I don’t think that theres any evidence to back it up but I haven’t looked to deeply into it. physiologically it doesn’t really make much sense. if you want to prevent a heart attack eat right and exercise regularly. ( though it may aid in digestion- who knows)

Q: For heart attacks and women, does heartburn start off mild and comes and goes, or is it strong and sudden?
Some women don’t get heartburn when it comes to heart attacks. I’m talking about the ones that do.

A: Common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include:
Pressure, fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes
Pain extending beyond your chest to your shoulder, arm, back, or even to your teeth and jaw
Increasing episodes of chest pain
Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Impending sense of doom
Fainting
Nausea and vomiting
Signs and symptoms of a heart attack in women may be different or less noticeable than heart attack symptoms in men. In addition to the symptoms above, heart attack symptoms in women can include:
Abdominal pain or “heartburn”
Clammy skin
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Unusual or unexplained fatigue
Not all people who have heart attacks experience the same ones or experience them to the same degree. Many heart attacks aren’t as dramatic as the ones you’ve seen on TV. Some people have no symptoms at all. Still, the more signs and symptoms you have, the greater the likelihood that you may be having a heart attack.
A heart attack can occur anytime — at work or play, while you’re resting, or while you’re in motion. Some heart attacks strike suddenly, but many people who experience a heart attack have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. The earliest predictor of an attack may be recurrent chest pain (angina) that’s triggered by exertion and relieved by rest. Angina is caused by temporary, insufficient blood flow to the heart, also known as “cardiac ischemia.”

Q: Why are men more susceptible than women to heart attacks?
I’ve looked on-line, but I can’t find the physiological reasons why men are more susceptible than women to heart attacks. Why is this please?

A: The instances of heart attacks is more in males simply because women are protected by the oestrogen hormone. Oestrogen stabilises and protects the lining of the arteries. After women reach the menopause the instance of heart attacks converge to roughly the same as men because once a women reaches the menopause the oestrogen levels decrease.

There are other factors, but this is the main factor.

Q: Can a holter monitor detect past heart attacks?
I’m wearing one for 24hr’s tomorrow. Do they only test for rhythm irregularities , or would it detect past heart attacks, or heart failure? Still getting chest pains occasionally, only 26, cross my fingers!

A: Past heart attacks may be visible on an EKG (the one that takes just a few minutes and is a snapshot of the electrical activity of your heart). Not all heart attacks cause enough damage to create permanent EKG changes, though.

Heart failure is not something that shows on an EKG. It can sometimes be seen on a chest Xray, or diagnosed by physical exam, or echocardiography.

The Holter will show irregular heart rhythm, and EKG changes caused by ischemia (not enough oxygen getting to the heart muscle)

At 26, ischemia would be pretty rare, unless you have a congenital anomaly of the heart. Esophageal spasm or reflux can give you chest pain, and is much more likely than cardiac disease in someone your age.

The Holter should help rule out cardiac issues as a source of the pain, though.

Q: Who are all the people having heart attacks and dying young?
On Biggest Loser, Dr. Oz and other shows they tell us about all the over weight people having heart attacks and dying young. I thought about that and realized I have never known or even heard of anyone who had this happen. In fact, if this were true would we see so many over weight older people. What’s up with this?

I preface by saying I am thin and in good shape and not disputing the claim I just don’t see it happening.

A: It isn’t that obesity makes you die young, it is that obesity makes you die younger.

Also, and obviously, the people you see are the live ones. To know about deaths, you have to look at the statistics, not the people walking around the mall.

An example is my uncle. He was a college football player who had open heart surgery to correct a defect in his teens. He went on to live as an obese adult, and died of a heart attack in his 50s.

Since he had a history of heart trouble, it is likely that he would have died earlier than otherwise. However, being obese almost certainly moved up the date. By how much, we can’t really know. And yet, he wasn’t really young, nor would you realize he was dead except that I have provided the statistic.

And so it goes: obesity makes many of the top killers worse at younger ages and thereby shortens lifespan. But people aren’t necessarily dying young, only younger, and you won’t recognize the effects unless you study the cases and statistics.

Among the top causes of death, heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and infections (pneumonia and septicemia) are all made worse and riskier by obesity. Also, surgery is riskier for the obese, raising death rates from several of the top killers that rely on surgery for therapy (accidents, heart surgeries, etc.). And so, many people with those conditions are dying younger when they weigh too much.

Perhaps your experiences with death might also reflect your own age. With time, maybe you will know enough people to recognize who recovers well from accidents, cancer, pneumonia, etc., and be able to correlate that with their weight and lifestyle to generate your own statisics.

hth.

Q: What are the best ways to prevent heart attacks?
I would like a descriptive answer that shows multiple ways of preventing heart attacks.

A: The best thing is: try to avoid places where is a serious noumber of heart attacks commited. Do not walk alone in the dark!
Hearts are making sound like a drum, so when you hear that sound run for cover!
Heart likes to attack mankind about 40 years and above, exspecially when they holding Mcdonals packs!:)

Best things to do: run or walk every day at least 15 minutes, avoid coffeine, nicotine and do not use the electrical shaking belts like sauna belt etc. Avoid stress!!!

Q: Can mild heart attacks go away by themselves?
I have had about 3 episodes where I feel chest pain on the left side, my left arm hurts, and I get dizzy. Eventually it goes away, but my chest will always hurt without the other symptoms. I’m wondering if I can be having heart attacks that just go away or if that’s impossible. Also, I have had an ultrasound, stress test, and electrocardiogram all have been normal expect that I have a begnin heart murmur.

A: sounds like angina type pains NOT a heart attack. you need to get an ECG done while the symptoms are there so present to a+e next time and let them do this.
a heart attack causes an area of muscle damage which does not go away and would definitely show up on the the ultrasound so be reassured by that.
stable exertional angina usually shows up on a stress test because a narrowed coronary artery is unable to stretch to provide the heart with the extra blood it needs to exercise. so angina is like a cramp of the heart muscle. if you did not get this then be reassured that your arteries are able to provide all the blood your heart needs.

dizziness is not a common symptom of angina (unless already diagnosed + on angina meds). could anxiety be an issue here? symptoms of anxiety commonly mimic cardiac symptoms.

if you are worried about heart disease then the next step would be a coronary angiogram, an invasive test where the dr uses dye to show up any narrowings in the arteries supplying blood to your heart. In the UK we don’t often do this test if your stress test was negative however, not unless the symptoms were recurrent.

Q: Do most people normally get heart attacks and strokes in their early or mid 40s?
Can that be something occured in that particular age groups? I know some younger people get heart attacks when they’re born with deffects, but only those normally get them in their 4os, true?

A: There is no such thing as “normally”. A heart attack can occur at a large age range. They are seldom seen young and are more common in older people due to the fact of “aging”. Think of a car: what are the chances a brand new car breaks down? However, a car that is about 15 years old will certainly give someone problems- why.. because of the “wear and tear.”

The human body is similar to that analogy. Also, the mistreatment, if any, that we do to our bodies usually prevails as our body starts to age and deteriorate. Thus, aside from genetics, poor exercise, diet and other unhealthy habits eventually catch up to us down the road.

Obviously there are people who smoke, drink and hardly exercise and live a long healthy life in contrast to health nuts who drop dead at 30 years of age. There is no explanation. Just what a person can do to avoid anything like this happening before it does.

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heart attack women

Read and learn more about heart attack women. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: What are the symptoms of a heart attack for women? How do you know?
I am 45 and a woman. I have been having pain in my shoulders and mid back, trouble breathing, and dizziness. I have been using my inhaler every 2 hours and have been taking 800mgs of motrin for the pain and a gas X and previcid for my stomach. The breathing problems seems better but I am still in some pain. My husband, a nurse, says I am not presenting the symptoms of a heart attack and thinks it is more upper respiratory related. I have also had sore shoulders for a while with limited movement that my doctor thinks is my rotator cuff. Do you think I should ride it out on pain meds and albutoral or go to the emergency room? I’m not in distress as much as I was. Any suggestions? Thanks!

A: Very good question. Women present much differently than men do when it comes to your hearts. Atypical is the typical in women. I’ve diagnosed heart attacks (myocardial infarctions) time and time again in women who only have shortness of breath, nausea, weakness, shoulder pain (rotator cuff!), etc.
The thing I hate hearing most from my patients is that they are having ‘gas’ pain. So many times it turns out to be cardiac.
When you go to the emergency room they will do an ekg, chest xray, and cardiac enzymes (heart labs), etc. However, this alone does not rule out a heart attack. They will most likely keep you overnight to do atleast two more ekg’s and heart labs seperated by six hours and after you ‘rule out’ they’ll probably do stress testing.
Other life threatening conditions such as pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in your lungs), etc can present in a similar fashion.
It may be nothing, but please don’t make the mistake of blowing this off. Go straight to the hospital and check it out. I don’t want to say what I do for a living on this forum, but please believe me you need to go get this checked out.

Q: Heart Attack Symptoms In Women Not Take Seriously by Men Doctors..?
Why do women not get dignoised as fast as men when it comes to a heart attack. Women have different symptooms than men, and yet doctors do not take women seriously when they are having problems they can not explain…leading to death! Why hasn’t the medical feild made a list just for women on this?

A: “Women commonly have symptoms of shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue, or pressure in the lower chest, so they easily mistake it as a stomach ailment.”

In the Circulation study, common female heart attack symptoms include:

shortness of breath (57.9%)
weakness (54.8%)
unusual fatigue (42.9%)
Women also had these symptoms:

Nausea
Dizziness
Lower chest discomfort
Upper abdominal pressure or discomfort that may feel like indigestion
Back pain

Q: what are signs of heart attack for women?
heart attack signs i’ve been having back pains for a week now and pain in the temple when i yawn there is a popping i have a burping problem when i feel a little nauseous i just belch and belch, i don’t have to have eatten anything either chest soreness at times no hard pains though

A: I JUST went through this and spent a couple of days getting a complete heart work up. A “popping” in the jaw is more a symptom of TMJ rather than a heart condition. Having pains in the back and trouble with belching could be indicative of a gall bladder problem. What happened to me was severe chest pains followed by a numbness/severe pain in my jaw. My left arm was partially numb – all that and no heart attack thankfully! What I want to tell you is two things -

1.) Women are often misdiagnosed for heart attacks because they do not happen in women as frequently as in men.

2.) The symptoms you are having could be a number of other things and do not sound like a heart attack BUT go to your doctor and have them do a complete check up on your heart because you never know!

Q: I have heard that tingling in the fingers can be a symptom of a heart attack in women. Has anybody else heard?
I get tingling in my fingers sometimes when I dry my hands on a towel, or when I take my walks.

A: The way the symptoms of a heart attack are taught to both health care providers and the general public for the most part is that any pain or “strange/unusual” feeling from “Teeth to Tummy” could possibly be a “heart attack.” The reason for this is to encourage all health care providers as well as the general public who may be at risk to keep a high index of suspicion. The way they AHA used to educate the public was found to have major holes – they tended to teach about the “10/10 crushing chest pain radiating to the jaw and left arm” and that is not how many, many heart attacks present.

So, basically, the dangers and implications of letting someone who is actually having a heart attack pass under the radar are so great that it is better to err on the safe side and have that person with questionable symptoms be tested and treated just in case, because there is that 1 in a million (not an actual statistic) person that is actually having a heart attack and only has tingling in their hand.

However, having said that, I have treated hundreds of patients who were having actual MIs, and NOT ONE of them presented with ONLY tingling in their hands. HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen. Most likely though, if you are having tingling in BOTH hands, that points much more to a neurological problem, or a circulation problem (like if it happens when your hands are cold (after washing) or when you go on walks (circulation is down to your hands).)

If you have any accompanying symptoms, it is more likely to be cardiac (heart) related. If you have any shortness of breath, lightheadedness, getting tired very quickly when you haven’t done that much exercise (walking up the stairs, etc), those also point to a cardiac problem.

Also, it seems like what you’re talking about is more of a long-term problem. Has the tingling been increased today? Did you have any other symptoms you don’t normally have? A “heart attack” is not a long-term event. It is an acute emergency that is not ongoing over many days or weeks. The people who have “silent” heart attacks (are very lucky to survive, first of all and) are usually are experiencing a smaller event that is not in an area of the heart that would show damage immediately, such as within the conduction system. If you have been having the tingling for many weeks or months, although it may be a cardiac-related symptom, it is highly unlikely it is a symptom of a heart attack. Unless the tingling increases in severity suddenly or changes from how it usually feels. I know that was kind of confusing, I hope it made sense.

You should talk to your doctor, especially if you are post-menopause (those women often have very atypical presentations when they have heart attacks) and just have him do an EKG of your heart and whatever else he feels is necessary just to be on the safe side. Like I said, tingling could be a sign of a cardiac problem, but as an isolated, chronic symptom, it is highly unlikely to be a heart attack. Another bonus of talking to your doctor is if he doesn’t think it’s cardiac related, he can probably give you some advice on how to make it go away. For instance, if it is carpal tunnel (certainly a possibility), there are exercises, physical therapy and surgery to make the symptoms go away. You want to make sure you are treating the right thing. But kudos to you for doing your research, always better safe than sorry. And if you get any accompanying symptoms like shortness of breath, go to the ER or call an ambulance, because those signs, with the tingling, could indicate an acute emergency such as a heart attack (or other things). Good luck and feel better!

Q: whats the reason behind less heart attack cases in women than men?
i have never heard any women died of heart attack and heart failure in my neighborhood.
plz give detailed scientific reason.
thanks

A: Risk of heart attack in women after menopause are same as in men. Before menopause ‘oestrogen’ a hormone from ovary protects them from heart attack. Smoking, high % of bad cholesterol– (LDL) , drinking, stress, obesity are other contributors in men for more heart attacks.

Q: How do heart attack symptoms differ between men and women?
What are the symptoms of a heart attack and how do they differ between men and women?

A: central chest pain (heaviness or tightness or squeezing type of pain) radiating to the left arm and sometimes to the right arm , tha neck and jaw. shortness of breath and excessive sweating Loss of consciousness and sudden death
The most common symptoms of MI in women include dyspnea, weakness, and fatigue. Fatigue, sleep disturbances, and dyspnea have been reported as frequently occurring symptoms which may manifest as long as one month before the actual clinically manifested ischemic event. In women, chest pain may be less predictive of coronary ischemia than in men

Q: Women Heart attack outlook?
I wondered if there are other women over age 70 who have had a heart attack and who survive for several years after the attack without another heart attack occurring.

A: once u have one you ll more than likely have them regular, like every 2 years or even more.

Q: Who is most likely to have a heart attack men or women and why?
So I was wondering because I’m doing a paper for school.

A: Some 7,200,000 men and 6,000,000 women are living with some form of coronary heart disease. 1,200,000 people suffer a (new or recurrent) coronary attack every year, and about 40% of them die as a result of the attack. This means that roughly every 65 seconds, an American dies of a coronary event.

Q: what are symptoms of heart attack in women?
in the past 3-4 weeks i have had heartburn (i take prilosec) and some vertigo while sitting/standing. also have experienced weakness in knees when standing…like i am gonna collapse. and today i had neck pain right below jaws…i am 59yrs old and kinda scared. i need advice…thanks

A: For women, the symptoms are not as clear cut as for men. While all of the normal symptoms> chest pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, jaw/left arm pain, profuse sweating< are sometimes found with women, many times there is only one or two of these symptoms, or none of them at all. Basically, if you feel like something is wrong, don't wait to see what happens, just go to the ER and have it checked out... Immediately. You are at a prime age for a heart attack, and the symptoms you describe are alarming. Take 4 of the 80 mg chewable aspirins if you have them and go straight to the emergency room.
My Uncle told family members last year that he thought he may have had a minor heart attack a couple of weeks before their conversation, but thought he was fine since he began taking a couple aspirin every morning and the symptoms were pretty minor. Two days later he had a massive heart attack in front of his 16 year old daughter. He was 54. It was devastating to everyone, and what made it worse is he would still be here today if he had gone to the doctor when he first thought something was wrong. If you go and it turns out your heart is okay… that would be great news. If you don’t, and you have a heart attack, the impact of your death on your loved ones can be devastating.

Q: what are symptoms for women having heart attack?
are they same as for man?

A: There were some studies done and some women do have different symptoms than men. Some women do not have acute chest pain which is a well known symptom for men. I am sure it depends upon the person. But below is some interesting information I found about women having a heart attack. I will provide link below with more information also.

Female Heart Attack Symptoms: What are They?

These chest-related heart attack signs often appear in men, and many women get them, too:

Pressure, fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of the chest, which may spread to the neck, shoulder or jaw;

Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath;

But many women don’t have chest pain.

In the Circulation study on early female heart attack symptoms, researchers found that during a heart attack, 43% of the 515 women studied had no “acute chest pain… a ‘hallmark symptom in men,’” according to study authors.

Nevertheless, the study cited evidence that many emergency room doctors still look mainly for chest pain. Only a minority check for the other types of symptoms that women tend to develop. As a result, doctors may miss heart attacks in women.

“Although women can have chest tightness as a symptom of a heart attack, it’s also important for women to recognize that might not be their symptom,” says Nieca Goldberg, MD, a cardiologist and chief of Women’s Cardiac Care at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and author of “The Women’s Healthy Heart Program.”

“Women commonly have symptoms of shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue, or pressure in the lower chest, so they easily mistake it as a stomach ailment.”

In the Circulation study, common female heart attack symptoms include:

shortness of breath (57.9%)
weakness (54.8%)
unusual fatigue (42.9%)

Women also had these symptoms:
Nausea
Dizziness
Lower chest discomfort
Upper abdominal pressure or discomfort that may feel like indigestion
Back pain

Female Heart Attack Symptoms: Warning Signs That a Heart Attack May Be Coming:

In the weeks preceding an actual heart attack, some of these symptoms may even appear as “prodromal,” or early, warning signs, according to the Circulation study.

Goldberg, who is familiar with the study, says, “About six weeks before the actual heart attack, women were more likely to experience shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue or stomach pain as an early warning sign that they might have a blocked artery.”

Click this link for more info:

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/her-guide-to-a-heart-attack?page=2

Q: Why doesn’t the media portray women having heart attacks?
I realized that the media (movies, tv shows, etc) always depict men having heart attacks, never women. Heart disease is the #1 killer of women, don’t you think there would be more light shed on this subject?

A: Probably because men are still at much higher risk of heart disease than women. (It is the #1 cause of death in men too.) Since men tend to be younger than women when they develop heart disease, when the rates are adjusted for age (as any good statistician should do), the risk is higher for them.

Q: How is a heart attack better than having a baby?
[ Serious as well as minor side effects have been reported with the use of oral contraceptives. Serious risks, which can be life threatening, include blood clots, stroke and heart attacks. Some women should not use the Pill, including women who have blood clots, certain cancers, a history of heart attack or stroke, as well as those who are or may be pregnant. The Pill does not protect against HIV or sexually transmitted diseases. ]

First question: don’t people realize that pills are actually usually more life threatening than condoms?

Second: They don’t actually offer any sexual protection at all, and completely open up your immune system. Why not an abortion instead? It’s SAFER!

Third: Some brands are known to cause CANCER. How is cancer better than having a baby?

Fourth: What is so bad about periods that you would rather have blood clots than a normal cycle?
I was being sarcastic with the “Safer” thing.
I would worry more about hamburgers, but even children understand that hamburgers are bad for you. Most women ignore the side effects of a pill.

A: This question is so full of crazy I don’t even know where to start. For one thing, you are much, much more likely to die from complications of pregnancy than hormonal birth control.

Furthermore, hormonal birth control does not cause cancer. In fact, it is linked to an overall *lower* risk of cancer. Oral contraceptives have been proven to reduce rates of endometrial and ovarian cancer by 50% or more. This benefit increases with duration of use and persists for up to 20 years after oral contraceptives are stopped.

Hormonal birth control has no effect on the immune system.

It is true that condoms have less risk of serious side-effects, but they are also less effective at preventing pregnancy.

Q: For heart attacks and women, does heartburn start off mild and comes and goes, or is it strong and sudden?
Some women don’t get heartburn when it comes to heart attacks. I’m talking about the ones that do.

A: Common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include:
Pressure, fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes
Pain extending beyond your chest to your shoulder, arm, back, or even to your teeth and jaw
Increasing episodes of chest pain
Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Impending sense of doom
Fainting
Nausea and vomiting
Signs and symptoms of a heart attack in women may be different or less noticeable than heart attack symptoms in men. In addition to the symptoms above, heart attack symptoms in women can include:
Abdominal pain or “heartburn”
Clammy skin
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Unusual or unexplained fatigue
Not all people who have heart attacks experience the same ones or experience them to the same degree. Many heart attacks aren’t as dramatic as the ones you’ve seen on TV. Some people have no symptoms at all. Still, the more signs and symptoms you have, the greater the likelihood that you may be having a heart attack.
A heart attack can occur anytime — at work or play, while you’re resting, or while you’re in motion. Some heart attacks strike suddenly, but many people who experience a heart attack have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. The earliest predictor of an attack may be recurrent chest pain (angina) that’s triggered by exertion and relieved by rest. Angina is caused by temporary, insufficient blood flow to the heart, also known as “cardiac ischemia.”

Q: what are the signs of stroke and heart attack in women?

A: In women a heart attack or MI (Myocardio Infarction) is manifested by epigastric pain or heartburn-like discomfort or the typical elephant sitting on the chest-like feeling, chest pressure, pain that radiates to the left arm and back.
Stroke or CVA (Cardio Vascular Accident) is manifested by lightheadness or severe headache, weakness on one side of the body, facial muscle twitching, sudden inability to speak or swallow, slurred speech, dizziness, syncope, visual disturbances.

Q: Any other women <50 who have had a heart attack?
10 days ago, I had a major heart attack and now have two stents. I would be very interested in hearing from other women <50 who have had a heart attack regarding your recovery...how long it took, how you feel now, etc

A: I had a heart attack at 27 and I am now 33. The total recovery took about a year (the have my full energy and all back). I went back to work after 6 months. I feel great now…off of all meds. I eat healthy and exercise. I wish you a very speedy recovery. You have to keep your head up and always, always think positive. The depression of having the heart attack can be just as hard on you as the actual heart attack.

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heart attack signs

Read and learn more about heart attack signs. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: what are signs of heart attack for women?
heart attack signs i’ve been having back pains for a week now and pain in the temple when i yawn there is a popping i have a burping problem when i feel a little nauseous i just belch and belch, i don’t have to have eatten anything either chest soreness at times no hard pains though

A: I JUST went through this and spent a couple of days getting a complete heart work up. A “popping” in the jaw is more a symptom of TMJ rather than a heart condition. Having pains in the back and trouble with belching could be indicative of a gall bladder problem. What happened to me was severe chest pains followed by a numbness/severe pain in my jaw. My left arm was partially numb – all that and no heart attack thankfully! What I want to tell you is two things -

1.) Women are often misdiagnosed for heart attacks because they do not happen in women as frequently as in men.

2.) The symptoms you are having could be a number of other things and do not sound like a heart attack BUT go to your doctor and have them do a complete check up on your heart because you never know!

Q: Can you get a heart attack with out any signs?
And what are the signs of a heart attack?

A: Yes you can have heart attacks without any signs especially if your a diabetic these heart attacks are also known as a silent MI, (MI is myocardial Infarction) medical term for heart attack. Some of the symptons are feeling of doom, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, tingling or numbness in left arm, pain in jaw, pain in back, diaphoretic ( profuse sweating), feeling you are having indigestion is a big one I have noticed with my patients, lethargic (tired,weak).
If you think you maybe having a heart attack call 911 and never drive yourself to the hospital.

Q: What are some signs of a heart attack?
what are some signs of a mild and major heart attack? i’ve been having some pains in my left shoulder where my collar bone is and i know that it’s not a heart attack but i was wondering if its a sign of something. so i know if its nothing or something i need to call the dr. about. Thanks for your answers!

A: Crushing chest pain. Pain that radiates down the left arm and up into the jaw. Women often has nausea and vomiting.

You probably has some musculoskelatal strain. If in down, see your doctor – the sooner the better.

Q: What are the signs of a heart attack?
What are the signs of a heart attack for a woman in her 40’s?

A: Shortness of breath, tightness in chest, pain radiating down on left side of neck to the arm.

Q: What are signs that youre probably going to have a heart-attack? ?
What are the signs of a heart attack coming soon without going to the doctor?? How can you be sure you had a heart attack without going to the doctor?

A: the signs that you are having a heart attack is chest pain or pressure sweating shortness of breath.how a dr can tell if you have had a heart attack is with a ekg and blood tests raised enzymes are the main thing that tells them

Q: Warning signs for a heart attack or a stroke?
What are the warning signs of a heart attack? Are they different for men and women? If so, how? What are the waring signs of a stroke?

A: Heart attack: Men tend to have more chest / arm pain. Women often have trouble breathing or gastric (stomach) complaints. I had an old woman to came to the ER when she couldn’t stop burping. Big heart attack

Stroke : Men & women are similar. Classic “mini strokes” : episodes of visual disturbances, paralysis of one arm/leg, trouble speaking

Q: My mother is have signs of a heart attack, free health care?
my mom is having signs of a heart attack
and wants to have tests run but we have very little money right now with no income…
what should we do?!
I really dont know what to do and am very worried!
Is there someway to have tests done for free or much cheaper?

A: If she’s having symptoms right now, take her to the ER or call 911 as soon as possible. Her life may depend on it.
You can always work out a payment plan with the hospital later.

Q: what are the signs of heart attack inw omen?
do the hands get icy cold? what are other signs?

A: Uh same as men,

1) chest pain
2) shortness of breathe
3) cold sweats
4) neck pain, shoulder pain or pain radiating down your left arm
5) nausea & vomitting
6) fainting episodes
7) generallized weakness

Q: I have a tight squeezing feeling in my heart is signs of a heart attack? ?
I have a tight squeezing feeling in my heart is signs of a heart attack?
Im 18 but i’ve only had this probebly twice before, but nothing too serious.
or could it be from stress or something?
I just found out that this guy i like likes me back though..

A: i having heart prob and im 16 and i had your that symptom for around few years u better c doc for a check up

Q: What are the signs of a heart attack or stroke?
My mother takes vicodin, blood pressure medicine, zoloft, and several other pills. For a while she either forgets to take her pills or takes them with alcohol. Now the top of her head hurts often, the left side of her face shuts down, and her stomach hurt even after 29 pound fibroid has been removed. Did she have a minor stroke or heart attack and didn’t even know? Or is it something else? What can I do to make sure she stays alive and ok? Any advice would help. Thank you!

A: I would tell her to stop taking all the meds with alcohol and the signs of heart attacks are..

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.

Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

Strokes:
* Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
* Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
* Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
* Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
* Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

In my opinion she needs to go see a doctor at any of these signs

Q: What Are Some Of The Warning Signs Of Stroke Or Heart Attack ?
My good friend has had a numbness on the left-side of his head (above the ear all the way to the crown) for about a month now and he won’t go to the doctor .

The numbness ranges from the top or crown of his head , to just above and then behind his left ear .

Is this a warning sign of stroke or heart attack ?

If not, then what could it be ?

Give me everything you can so Ii can convince him to see a doctor .
Thank you .
What Is TMJ ?

A: Honestly.. best thing to do is to convince him to WebMD it if you just can’t talk him into going “just because”.

Q: Can you have a heart attack with no previous signs?
Say a middle age man went on a roller coaster, and he’s had no previous heart troubles. Could he get so scared and have a heart attack? Or would he need to have had previous heart conditions for a heart attack to occur?

A: yes he could have a heart attack, basically through the raised blood pressure of the ride, though highly unlikely. He would, had he actually have a heart attack have ongoing health issues he wasnt even aware of yet such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure. Any concerns such as this should be taken seriously and checked out asap

Q: heart attack?
Ive been experiencing a pain in the right side of the chest in my breast and under my right arm that s a bit weak. I also have a headache, this for about 3 hours. My question is, is it a heart attack sign, a problem of the heart or simply a muscular pain Must add that I am 19 female, i am packing to move out of rez for the summer. I am asking this because since im in college i dont really wanna go to the hospital without reason. Thank u no mean answers plz
btw my arm feels weak, the left one is ok though
ok can i take aspirin even if ium taking naproxen, im recovering from a early pneumonia nothing serious apparently

A: Hi there!!! Doesn’t sound like a heart attack. Your heart muscle is located in the center of your chest just a little to the left, between your nipples. Generally you will feel pain, pressure, heaviness in this area. At the same time, your heart rate will increase as your blood pressure drops. You may feel pain or numbness in either arm, generally your left arm, you will probably be sweating profusely, breathing harder and faster. Pain can also radiate to the neck/jaw area, or between the shoulder blades. In this case, call 911 and forget about how much it will cost or that you are in college.

Otherwise, with your descriptions, I would suggest what you are feeling is some anxiety over this. The stress is giving you a headache. The weak arm feeling can also come from you thinking about the worst happening.

I suggest you sit down after you swallow 2 extra strength Tylenol and 2 aspirins. The aspirins you should always have on hand (coated only). Aspirin will thin your blood just enough to prevent any clots from forming that are the cause of heart attacks and can, in fact save your life in the event of a real heart attack.

Being 19, if you are on no meds and are taking no drugs, you should not have to worry about a heart attack.

However, the stress of college apart from packing etc is enough to stress out the best of us.

Take a deep breath. Get a few days of good sleep, will ya?

I believe you are having a muscle spasm and it will go away if you will just relax, take a long bath, drink a little wine or warm milk and know all is right with your world!!!

I am an RN

Q: absolute signs of an impending heart attack?
I want the absolute signs of an impending heart attack in women. Also want to know the absolute signs of impending death.

A: There are no absolute signs of impending heart attack in women or men for that matter. Signs and symptoms of an MI ( myocardial infarction) vary from person to person, however the 1st things that would raise my suspicion of possible MI in a woman would be, over age 40, nausea and possibly vomiting, dyspnea, diaphoresis, followed by chest pain with possible radiation to jaw, upper back and left arm.
Allways cause for suspicion and the need for a 12 lead EKG. Women are less likely to have an MI, but more likely to die from one because the symptoms are easier to to ignore or pass off as indigestion, gas, ect.
Asystole is the best sign of impending death, although if it is a witnessed arrest, with quick CPR your outcome is much more favorable

Inferior MI’s seem to be the most troublesome, followed by anterior MI’s

Q: What should I do if I am experiencing early signs of a heart attack.. Left arm hurting. Chest pain?
My left arm has been hurting all day and now I am experiencing little pain in my chest. I just want to know of some home remedies to prevent the heart attack or is it Inevitible that it is going to happen

A: It is very unlikely that you would be having abrupt onset of some pain in your arm and now at your chest too, all day and this actually be unstable angina (pain coming from your heart due to heart disease).

If you are concerned, then go to the ED and have it checked out. They will take it seriously no matter how unlikely it sounds. You should note that they will take measures to rule in or rule out an acutely presenting heart condition – and will treat a heart condition if it exists. If you rule out, they may or may not treat your arm pain and they may not provide you with a diagnosis.

Many, many things can account for your symptoms other than a heart attack. Only a trained medical person who can take a full medical history, do a physical exam, and do diagnostic and lab work, would be able to tell what you need to know.

If you do nothing else, then take a single, full strength aspirin (NOT ibuprofen or tylenol) daily. There are no reliable home remedies for a heart attack.

Good luck.

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heart attack symptoms women

Read and learn more about heart attack symptoms women. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: Heart Attack Symptoms In Women Not Take Seriously by Men Doctors..?
Why do women not get dignoised as fast as men when it comes to a heart attack. Women have different symptooms than men, and yet doctors do not take women seriously when they are having problems they can not explain…leading to death! Why hasn’t the medical feild made a list just for women on this?

A: “Women commonly have symptoms of shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue, or pressure in the lower chest, so they easily mistake it as a stomach ailment.”

In the Circulation study, common female heart attack symptoms include:

shortness of breath (57.9%)
weakness (54.8%)
unusual fatigue (42.9%)
Women also had these symptoms:

Nausea
Dizziness
Lower chest discomfort
Upper abdominal pressure or discomfort that may feel like indigestion
Back pain

Q: How do heart attack symptoms differ between men and women?
What are the symptoms of a heart attack and how do they differ between men and women?

A: central chest pain (heaviness or tightness or squeezing type of pain) radiating to the left arm and sometimes to the right arm , tha neck and jaw. shortness of breath and excessive sweating Loss of consciousness and sudden death
The most common symptoms of MI in women include dyspnea, weakness, and fatigue. Fatigue, sleep disturbances, and dyspnea have been reported as frequently occurring symptoms which may manifest as long as one month before the actual clinically manifested ischemic event. In women, chest pain may be less predictive of coronary ischemia than in men

Q: What are the symptoms of a heart attack for women? How do you know?
I am 45 and a woman. I have been having pain in my shoulders and mid back, trouble breathing, and dizziness. I have been using my inhaler every 2 hours and have been taking 800mgs of motrin for the pain and a gas X and previcid for my stomach. The breathing problems seems better but I am still in some pain. My husband, a nurse, says I am not presenting the symptoms of a heart attack and thinks it is more upper respiratory related. I have also had sore shoulders for a while with limited movement that my doctor thinks is my rotator cuff. Do you think I should ride it out on pain meds and albutoral or go to the emergency room? I’m not in distress as much as I was. Any suggestions? Thanks!

A: Very good question. Women present much differently than men do when it comes to your hearts. Atypical is the typical in women. I’ve diagnosed heart attacks (myocardial infarctions) time and time again in women who only have shortness of breath, nausea, weakness, shoulder pain (rotator cuff!), etc.
The thing I hate hearing most from my patients is that they are having ‘gas’ pain. So many times it turns out to be cardiac.
When you go to the emergency room they will do an ekg, chest xray, and cardiac enzymes (heart labs), etc. However, this alone does not rule out a heart attack. They will most likely keep you overnight to do atleast two more ekg’s and heart labs seperated by six hours and after you ‘rule out’ they’ll probably do stress testing.
Other life threatening conditions such as pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in your lungs), etc can present in a similar fashion.
It may be nothing, but please don’t make the mistake of blowing this off. Go straight to the hospital and check it out. I don’t want to say what I do for a living on this forum, but please believe me you need to go get this checked out.

Q: Is woman’s heart attack symptoms different then men? If so what are some of the symptoms that women have?

A: Here you go…

http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/healthmedical/a/womensami.htm

Q: WOMEN with heart attack symptoms?
has anyone suffered from a heart attack? Could you please describe your symptoms or events which led you to know you were suffering a heart attack?

A: Symptoms car vary from mild to severe and some people can even have silent heart attacks, where there isn’t any pain. General symptoms are severe chest which persists for longer than 15 minutes. This pain typically feels like a crushing pain.

The pain can also radiate to the jaw, and down your left arm, back and neck. Sickness and feeling fain are common symptoms too.

Q: heart attack symptoms in woman 40 have you had one?
I had a pain run up my left side from the bottom up and over to my chest, which struck me from moving for a second . and my left arm hurts, but thats the only symptom. Anyone had a heart attack only reply please, what was your symptoms, and if you had this pain, doesnt a attack come on pretty quick after the symptoms?
also pain is now in mid back shoulders. though I would think it would of hurt more my chest is burning a tiny bit and thats it. panic attack?

A: Don’t screw around….call 9-1-1 and GO TO THE HOSPITAL WITH THE PARAMEDICS.

Women do not have “typical” heart attack symptoms, so you must rule out cardiac causes first.

Q: what are symptoms of heart attack in women?
in the past 3-4 weeks i have had heartburn (i take prilosec) and some vertigo while sitting/standing. also have experienced weakness in knees when standing…like i am gonna collapse. and today i had neck pain right below jaws…i am 59yrs old and kinda scared. i need advice…thanks

A: For women, the symptoms are not as clear cut as for men. While all of the normal symptoms> chest pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, jaw/left arm pain, profuse sweating< are sometimes found with women, many times there is only one or two of these symptoms, or none of them at all. Basically, if you feel like something is wrong, don't wait to see what happens, just go to the ER and have it checked out... Immediately. You are at a prime age for a heart attack, and the symptoms you describe are alarming. Take 4 of the 80 mg chewable aspirins if you have them and go straight to the emergency room.
My Uncle told family members last year that he thought he may have had a minor heart attack a couple of weeks before their conversation, but thought he was fine since he began taking a couple aspirin every morning and the symptoms were pretty minor. Two days later he had a massive heart attack in front of his 16 year old daughter. He was 54. It was devastating to everyone, and what made it worse is he would still be here today if he had gone to the doctor when he first thought something was wrong. If you go and it turns out your heart is okay… that would be great news. If you don’t, and you have a heart attack, the impact of your death on your loved ones can be devastating.

Q: What are the heart attack symptoms for a woman?
Currently my head hurts from my earline back and down my neck. My chest feels a bit heavy and my left arm is achy. I’ve heard that the arm ach is not a valid system for women. Should I be concerned?

A: Women usually present with atypical signs of a heart attack (myocardial infarction). This means that the usual symptom you hear about- like crushing chest pain, may not be the number one sign for women like it is for men. Women usually have symptoms like nausea/vomiting, radiating pain in the jaw, neck, back, and down the arms, as well as chest pain. An arm ache is a valid symptom of a heart attack in women- but think of it more like radiating pain down the arm. And also, take into consideration what you have been doing physically. Did you just exercise or use your arms strenuously? Have you ever had chest pain before? If so, does the pain go away when you rest for a little while? Normally, chest pain (angina) goes away at rest, but the pain of a heart attack doesn’t. You should make an appointment with your doctor asap and tell him about your symptoms. He can draw some blood to see if your heart has been damaged from a heart attack. And not all heart attacks are huge! People can have heart attacks so small they don’t experience any symptoms. BUT- they are serious and you should always have it checked out…even if you feel doubtful and silly. Lay down, take an aspirin and a Tylenol and see if your pain gets any better. If it doesn’t, or it gets worse, call 911. You never know…and you don’t want to take that chance.

Q: what are symptoms for women having heart attack?
are they same as for man?

A: There were some studies done and some women do have different symptoms than men. Some women do not have acute chest pain which is a well known symptom for men. I am sure it depends upon the person. But below is some interesting information I found about women having a heart attack. I will provide link below with more information also.

Female Heart Attack Symptoms: What are They?

These chest-related heart attack signs often appear in men, and many women get them, too:

Pressure, fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of the chest, which may spread to the neck, shoulder or jaw;

Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath;

But many women don’t have chest pain.

In the Circulation study on early female heart attack symptoms, researchers found that during a heart attack, 43% of the 515 women studied had no “acute chest pain… a ‘hallmark symptom in men,’” according to study authors.

Nevertheless, the study cited evidence that many emergency room doctors still look mainly for chest pain. Only a minority check for the other types of symptoms that women tend to develop. As a result, doctors may miss heart attacks in women.

“Although women can have chest tightness as a symptom of a heart attack, it’s also important for women to recognize that might not be their symptom,” says Nieca Goldberg, MD, a cardiologist and chief of Women’s Cardiac Care at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and author of “The Women’s Healthy Heart Program.”

“Women commonly have symptoms of shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue, or pressure in the lower chest, so they easily mistake it as a stomach ailment.”

In the Circulation study, common female heart attack symptoms include:

shortness of breath (57.9%)
weakness (54.8%)
unusual fatigue (42.9%)

Women also had these symptoms:
Nausea
Dizziness
Lower chest discomfort
Upper abdominal pressure or discomfort that may feel like indigestion
Back pain

Female Heart Attack Symptoms: Warning Signs That a Heart Attack May Be Coming:

In the weeks preceding an actual heart attack, some of these symptoms may even appear as “prodromal,” or early, warning signs, according to the Circulation study.

Goldberg, who is familiar with the study, says, “About six weeks before the actual heart attack, women were more likely to experience shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue or stomach pain as an early warning sign that they might have a blocked artery.”

Click this link for more info:

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/her-guide-to-a-heart-attack?page=2

Q: Are the symptoms of heart attack different in men and women?
If so what are the differences.

A: Symptoms are different for everyone. Men can have central chest pain radiating to the left arm, with the shortness of breath and sweating. Women can get vague symptoms, like pressure in the chest. And there are people who don’t have any pain (diabetics). Others symptoms are back pain, dizzy, tooth ache, and people also have the urge to use their bowels.

Q: Could these be heart attack symptoms in a female?
I just experienced these very weird feelings tonight while on here and for the first time 2 days ago. I am a bit concerned they could be early warnings of a stroke/ heart attack. I am over 35 and do smoke and take the pill. I am not over weight, have low cholesterol, BP, etc and my GP says a low dose estrogen pill for me is okay.

Here are the symptoms- I know in women they can be different than men. It starts with intense and sudden pain on the bones of both jaws and then is followed by a tightness in my forehead and then a crushing pain in an oval right above my breasts in the center of my chest. Along with that, I am just awash with a general ill feeling and then after about 10-15 minutes it passes. I will ask my GP Monday about this but do any of you know if these could be warning signs.? Thanks
Thanks- I am fully aware of the risks and trust my GP. In cases of NO other risk factors being present, as in my case, smoking women over 35 only have a 1% greater risk than others on the pill. I am not asking for a DX, just curious if anyone has heard of these symptoms. :)

A: You could be having some typre of seizure or allergic reaction. I was in the Air Force for 4 1/2 years when I started have trouble concentrating. I found out that I had frontal lobe epilepsy that was compounded by rapid changes in air pressure (from being in a helicopter.)

It’s good that you’re going to the doctor.

Q: Why are symptoms of a heart attack different for men and women?

A: Even though the symptoms may not be different, they are more likely to be ignored in women because heart attack is rarer in women. This may lead to delay in seeking treatment.

Q: I have heard that tingling in the fingers can be a symptom of a heart attack in women. Has anybody else heard?
I get tingling in my fingers sometimes when I dry my hands on a towel, or when I take my walks.

A: The way the symptoms of a heart attack are taught to both health care providers and the general public for the most part is that any pain or “strange/unusual” feeling from “Teeth to Tummy” could possibly be a “heart attack.” The reason for this is to encourage all health care providers as well as the general public who may be at risk to keep a high index of suspicion. The way they AHA used to educate the public was found to have major holes – they tended to teach about the “10/10 crushing chest pain radiating to the jaw and left arm” and that is not how many, many heart attacks present.

So, basically, the dangers and implications of letting someone who is actually having a heart attack pass under the radar are so great that it is better to err on the safe side and have that person with questionable symptoms be tested and treated just in case, because there is that 1 in a million (not an actual statistic) person that is actually having a heart attack and only has tingling in their hand.

However, having said that, I have treated hundreds of patients who were having actual MIs, and NOT ONE of them presented with ONLY tingling in their hands. HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen. Most likely though, if you are having tingling in BOTH hands, that points much more to a neurological problem, or a circulation problem (like if it happens when your hands are cold (after washing) or when you go on walks (circulation is down to your hands).)

If you have any accompanying symptoms, it is more likely to be cardiac (heart) related. If you have any shortness of breath, lightheadedness, getting tired very quickly when you haven’t done that much exercise (walking up the stairs, etc), those also point to a cardiac problem.

Also, it seems like what you’re talking about is more of a long-term problem. Has the tingling been increased today? Did you have any other symptoms you don’t normally have? A “heart attack” is not a long-term event. It is an acute emergency that is not ongoing over many days or weeks. The people who have “silent” heart attacks (are very lucky to survive, first of all and) are usually are experiencing a smaller event that is not in an area of the heart that would show damage immediately, such as within the conduction system. If you have been having the tingling for many weeks or months, although it may be a cardiac-related symptom, it is highly unlikely it is a symptom of a heart attack. Unless the tingling increases in severity suddenly or changes from how it usually feels. I know that was kind of confusing, I hope it made sense.

You should talk to your doctor, especially if you are post-menopause (those women often have very atypical presentations when they have heart attacks) and just have him do an EKG of your heart and whatever else he feels is necessary just to be on the safe side. Like I said, tingling could be a sign of a cardiac problem, but as an isolated, chronic symptom, it is highly unlikely to be a heart attack. Another bonus of talking to your doctor is if he doesn’t think it’s cardiac related, he can probably give you some advice on how to make it go away. For instance, if it is carpal tunnel (certainly a possibility), there are exercises, physical therapy and surgery to make the symptoms go away. You want to make sure you are treating the right thing. But kudos to you for doing your research, always better safe than sorry. And if you get any accompanying symptoms like shortness of breath, go to the ER or call an ambulance, because those signs, with the tingling, could indicate an acute emergency such as a heart attack (or other things). Good luck and feel better!

Q: what are the symptoms for a heart attack in a diabetic patient that is 35 years old?
can some one tell me what the signs and symptoms of a heart attack for a woman that is 35 to 36 years old, known diabetic and has an enlarged heart?

A: Most often the symptoms of a heart attack are shortness of breath chest pressure or tightness, heavy sweating, nausea numbness of the left arm or jaw.

Now you are female and women don’t always show the classical symptoms and add to the fact that you are Diabetic even makes it more difficult to show the classical symptoms. I say this about Diabetics because there is strong correlation with Diabetes and Heart Disease. Another interesting issue is that, many Diabetics develop a Neuropathy ( decreased sensation) throughout their body so they don’t show the classical symptoms.

I really suggest that you see your physician as soon as possible and let him/her know that the symptoms that you are feeling.

Good luck and get in to see your doctor!

Q: when are flu-like symptoms a heart attack or just the flu?
I woke up this morning with dizziness and nausea………..proceeded to vomit about 3 times in a span of about 4 hours. This evening I’m better, but still have some nausea. When are “these” symptoms a heart attack? I’m a 65 yr. old women.
Thank you

A: Our friend is 67
She had a heart attack.She just didn’t feel right.She didn’t throw up she said she felt detached from herself.You might want to see a Dr in the morning :)
feel better soon :) I think you ate something icky ot just have the flu!

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signs of heart attack

Read and learn more about signs of heart attack. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: what are signs of heart attack for women?
heart attack signs i’ve been having back pains for a week now and pain in the temple when i yawn there is a popping i have a burping problem when i feel a little nauseous i just belch and belch, i don’t have to have eatten anything either chest soreness at times no hard pains though

A: I JUST went through this and spent a couple of days getting a complete heart work up. A “popping” in the jaw is more a symptom of TMJ rather than a heart condition. Having pains in the back and trouble with belching could be indicative of a gall bladder problem. What happened to me was severe chest pains followed by a numbness/severe pain in my jaw. My left arm was partially numb – all that and no heart attack thankfully! What I want to tell you is two things -

1.) Women are often misdiagnosed for heart attacks because they do not happen in women as frequently as in men.

2.) The symptoms you are having could be a number of other things and do not sound like a heart attack BUT go to your doctor and have them do a complete check up on your heart because you never know!

Q: what are the signs of heart attack inw omen?
do the hands get icy cold? what are other signs?

A: Uh same as men,

1) chest pain
2) shortness of breathe
3) cold sweats
4) neck pain, shoulder pain or pain radiating down your left arm
5) nausea & vomitting
6) fainting episodes
7) generallized weakness

Q: In case of early signs of heart-attack (pain in chest, arm + nausea), can 2 aspirins benefit?
Aspirin is said to make your blood thin. Could this be of use when someone is not too far from a heart-attack.?

A: yes, but only as a first aid resource, you can also help the victim by sitting them and trying to reasure them . however all conditions or signals of heart attacks require medical help so don’t hesitate into take them to see the doctor.

Q: What are some signs of heart problems?
I know the heart attack signs but what are some others that you can have if you have a heart problem?

I tend to get into phases where I worry I have something wrong: this time its my heart. i am a women, age 25 over weight. My family doesn’t have heart problem problems.

A: - Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest.

-Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

-Other symptoms, such as a shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

Q: fever chiills be signs of heart attack?
My dad had a heart attack 3 years ago, he didnt know he had a heart attack, over two weeks period, he thought he wsa just dehydrated from work, anyways he had two stents put in, takes plavix, lovastatin and two other meds, and also is taking a pain med . for his back, he is experiencing fever and chills in the evening, especially when its hot outside, could this be another heart attack?

A: No, fever and chills are not symptoms of heart attack, but can be rheumatic fever symptoms, which can lead to cardio-valular problem/s.

Q: Can you get a heart attack with out any signs?
And what are the signs of a heart attack?

A: Yes you can have heart attacks without any signs especially if your a diabetic these heart attacks are also known as a silent MI, (MI is myocardial Infarction) medical term for heart attack. Some of the symptons are feeling of doom, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, tingling or numbness in left arm, pain in jaw, pain in back, diaphoretic ( profuse sweating), feeling you are having indigestion is a big one I have noticed with my patients, lethargic (tired,weak).
If you think you maybe having a heart attack call 911 and never drive yourself to the hospital.

Q: What are some signs of a heart attack?
what are some signs of a mild and major heart attack? i’ve been having some pains in my left shoulder where my collar bone is and i know that it’s not a heart attack but i was wondering if its a sign of something. so i know if its nothing or something i need to call the dr. about. Thanks for your answers!

A: Crushing chest pain. Pain that radiates down the left arm and up into the jaw. Women often has nausea and vomiting.

You probably has some musculoskelatal strain. If in down, see your doctor – the sooner the better.

Q: can you please tell me the signs of heart Attack?
could you please tell me more imformation about it please?

A: If you follow this link it will list the usual symptoms. You may not get all of them, by rule of thumb, any chest pain that persists for longer than 15 minutes should be evaluated:-

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Heart-attack/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

Q: What are the signs of a heart attack?
What are the signs of a heart attack for a woman in her 40’s?

A: Shortness of breath, tightness in chest, pain radiating down on left side of neck to the arm.

Q: What are the signs of a heart attack or stroke?
My mother takes vicodin, blood pressure medicine, zoloft, and several other pills. For a while she either forgets to take her pills or takes them with alcohol. Now the top of her head hurts often, the left side of her face shuts down, and her stomach hurt even after 29 pound fibroid has been removed. Did she have a minor stroke or heart attack and didn’t even know? Or is it something else? What can I do to make sure she stays alive and ok? Any advice would help. Thank you!

A: I would tell her to stop taking all the meds with alcohol and the signs of heart attacks are..

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.

Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

Strokes:
* Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
* Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
* Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
* Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
* Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

In my opinion she needs to go see a doctor at any of these signs

Q: What are signs that youre probably going to have a heart-attack? ?
What are the signs of a heart attack coming soon without going to the doctor?? How can you be sure you had a heart attack without going to the doctor?

A: the signs that you are having a heart attack is chest pain or pressure sweating shortness of breath.how a dr can tell if you have had a heart attack is with a ekg and blood tests raised enzymes are the main thing that tells them

Q: Warning signs for a heart attack or a stroke?
What are the warning signs of a heart attack? Are they different for men and women? If so, how? What are the waring signs of a stroke?

A: Heart attack: Men tend to have more chest / arm pain. Women often have trouble breathing or gastric (stomach) complaints. I had an old woman to came to the ER when she couldn’t stop burping. Big heart attack

Stroke : Men & women are similar. Classic “mini strokes” : episodes of visual disturbances, paralysis of one arm/leg, trouble speaking

Q: My mother is have signs of a heart attack, free health care?
my mom is having signs of a heart attack
and wants to have tests run but we have very little money right now with no income…
what should we do?!
I really dont know what to do and am very worried!
Is there someway to have tests done for free or much cheaper?

A: If she’s having symptoms right now, take her to the ER or call 911 as soon as possible. Her life may depend on it.
You can always work out a payment plan with the hospital later.

Q: Do you know the warning signs of heart attack? Do you know the symptoms of diabetes? Why not?

A: I do. And everyone else should, too. And while you’re at it, put in a plug for the symptoms of stroke, too, Pegasus90. Nice job. And nice question.

And by the way, check out the AHA.org website for the symptoms of heart attack and stroke and how to prevent them!!

Q: What should I do if I am experiencing early signs of a heart attack.. Left arm hurting. Chest pain?
My left arm has been hurting all day and now I am experiencing little pain in my chest. I just want to know of some home remedies to prevent the heart attack or is it Inevitible that it is going to happen

A: It is very unlikely that you would be having abrupt onset of some pain in your arm and now at your chest too, all day and this actually be unstable angina (pain coming from your heart due to heart disease).

If you are concerned, then go to the ED and have it checked out. They will take it seriously no matter how unlikely it sounds. You should note that they will take measures to rule in or rule out an acutely presenting heart condition – and will treat a heart condition if it exists. If you rule out, they may or may not treat your arm pain and they may not provide you with a diagnosis.

Many, many things can account for your symptoms other than a heart attack. Only a trained medical person who can take a full medical history, do a physical exam, and do diagnostic and lab work, would be able to tell what you need to know.

If you do nothing else, then take a single, full strength aspirin (NOT ibuprofen or tylenol) daily. There are no reliable home remedies for a heart attack.

Good luck.

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symptoms of heart attack

Read and learn more about symptoms of heart attack. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: How do heart attack symptoms differ between men and women?
What are the symptoms of a heart attack and how do they differ between men and women?

A: central chest pain (heaviness or tightness or squeezing type of pain) radiating to the left arm and sometimes to the right arm , tha neck and jaw. shortness of breath and excessive sweating Loss of consciousness and sudden death
The most common symptoms of MI in women include dyspnea, weakness, and fatigue. Fatigue, sleep disturbances, and dyspnea have been reported as frequently occurring symptoms which may manifest as long as one month before the actual clinically manifested ischemic event. In women, chest pain may be less predictive of coronary ischemia than in men

Q: How long can heart attack symptoms last?
I’ve had chest discomfort for almost 2 months now. The discomfort always goes away when I press down on parts of my ribs. However, the slight pain always occurs in different parts of the left chest. I’ve also been having jaw discomfort that feels like a growing pimple in the area where the neck joins the lower jaw on both sides of my face. My doctors did an EKG, listened to my heart beat, did an x-ray, tested my blood, and said I am fine. I am 16 years old and I am afraid I might have a heart attack. Any suggestions?

A: An ECG will have revealed if you have had a heart attack, also a blood test will have shown something.

When I was 28 I had a heart attack and had no jaw ache, no pain on my left side, just a crushing feeling in the centre of my chest. I thought I was OK cause I didnt have any of the above ‘commonly’ reported symptons ( I thought that you were only having a heart attack if you felt shooting pains down your left arm) – Bottom line, never take chances with chest pain, whatever your age. By all means get a second opinion on the chest pain, but after the tests you’ve had I would rule out heart problems.

Also, a high percentage of patients who have sufferred a heart attack dont get any Jaw pain or left sided shooting pains. If this is your guide to deciding whether you are having a heart attack, you could be putting yourself in danger.

Q: Could these be heart attack symptoms in a female?
I just experienced these very weird feelings tonight while on here and for the first time 2 days ago. I am a bit concerned they could be early warnings of a stroke/ heart attack. I am over 35 and do smoke and take the pill. I am not over weight, have low cholesterol, BP, etc and my GP says a low dose estrogen pill for me is okay.

Here are the symptoms- I know in women they can be different than men. It starts with intense and sudden pain on the bones of both jaws and then is followed by a tightness in my forehead and then a crushing pain in an oval right above my breasts in the center of my chest. Along with that, I am just awash with a general ill feeling and then after about 10-15 minutes it passes. I will ask my GP Monday about this but do any of you know if these could be warning signs.? Thanks
Thanks- I am fully aware of the risks and trust my GP. In cases of NO other risk factors being present, as in my case, smoking women over 35 only have a 1% greater risk than others on the pill. I am not asking for a DX, just curious if anyone has heard of these symptoms. :)

A: You could be having some typre of seizure or allergic reaction. I was in the Air Force for 4 1/2 years when I started have trouble concentrating. I found out that I had frontal lobe epilepsy that was compounded by rapid changes in air pressure (from being in a helicopter.)

It’s good that you’re going to the doctor.

Q: what are the symptoms of Heart Attack?
what are the symptoms of Heart Attack?What are the precautions.

A: Pain, fullness, and/or squeezing sensation of the chest
Jaw pain, toothache, headache
Shortness of breath
Nausea, vomiting, and/or general epigastric (upper middle abdomen) discomfort
Sweating
Heartburn and/or indigestion
Arm pain (more commonly the left arm, but may be either arm)
Upper back pain
General malaise (vague feeling of illness)
No symptoms (Approximately one quarter of all heart attacks are silent, without chest pain or new symptoms. Silent heart attacks are especially common among patients with diabetes mellitus.)

Q: what are the symptoms of heart attack?
does this symptoms also affect rise of blood pressure?

my friend recently feeled something stinging in his chest occassionally, preferably the heart area. he is a hypertensive person and taking his maintenance regularly. and his blood pressure is 120/80.

please advice. thanks

A: OK, is this symptom during exertion or during rest ? is he smoking or not ? These are two basic questions that requires answer at the same time is he walking or not?
Take him to a cardiologist and have his problem sorted out, as I will not give you a preassumptive answer, after it is a life at stake. Forget the symptoms for the time being,OK.

Q: Is coughing one of the heart attack symptoms?
My friend has high blood pressure and I’m worried about him. Please let me know.

A: If he is on ACE medicine usually dry coughing is caused by that type of medication. If not on BP medication, then coughing is actually beneficial for his heart.

Q: Can these be the symptoms of a female heart attack
or something else.

these past few days i have been feeling very strange, i have been having what i call a “bullet head ache” because one side of my head the very front left side aches but no where else except directly in the same spot but in the back of my head, so its kinda like a gun shot.

then comes the dizzy spells, one got so bad i actually had to lay down with my eyes shut.

sometimes there will be intense nausea, followed by no vomiting, but the nausea is enough torture as it is.
i also been having sharp pains in my stomach, around where my liver is, and my uterus.

i checked web md for female heart attack symptoms, and i have some but not all.
so can anyone help me please? tell me if this is normal, or should i see a doctor?

**headaches
**nausea
**sharp abdomen pains
**dizziness

A: Sounds more like a migraine or sinus headache. The dizziness and cause the abdomenial pain and nausea.

Q: What are the symptoms of a heart attack for women? How do you know?
I am 45 and a woman. I have been having pain in my shoulders and mid back, trouble breathing, and dizziness. I have been using my inhaler every 2 hours and have been taking 800mgs of motrin for the pain and a gas X and previcid for my stomach. The breathing problems seems better but I am still in some pain. My husband, a nurse, says I am not presenting the symptoms of a heart attack and thinks it is more upper respiratory related. I have also had sore shoulders for a while with limited movement that my doctor thinks is my rotator cuff. Do you think I should ride it out on pain meds and albutoral or go to the emergency room? I’m not in distress as much as I was. Any suggestions? Thanks!

A: Very good question. Women present much differently than men do when it comes to your hearts. Atypical is the typical in women. I’ve diagnosed heart attacks (myocardial infarctions) time and time again in women who only have shortness of breath, nausea, weakness, shoulder pain (rotator cuff!), etc.
The thing I hate hearing most from my patients is that they are having ‘gas’ pain. So many times it turns out to be cardiac.
When you go to the emergency room they will do an ekg, chest xray, and cardiac enzymes (heart labs), etc. However, this alone does not rule out a heart attack. They will most likely keep you overnight to do atleast two more ekg’s and heart labs seperated by six hours and after you ‘rule out’ they’ll probably do stress testing.
Other life threatening conditions such as pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in your lungs), etc can present in a similar fashion.
It may be nothing, but please don’t make the mistake of blowing this off. Go straight to the hospital and check it out. I don’t want to say what I do for a living on this forum, but please believe me you need to go get this checked out.

Q: Are the symptoms of heart attack different in men and women?
If so what are the differences.

A: Symptoms are different for everyone. Men can have central chest pain radiating to the left arm, with the shortness of breath and sweating. Women can get vague symptoms, like pressure in the chest. And there are people who don’t have any pain (diabetics). Others symptoms are back pain, dizzy, tooth ache, and people also have the urge to use their bowels.

Q: Why does someone have a heart attack?What are thne symptoms of a heart attack?
Why does someone have a heart attack?What are thne symptoms
of a heart attack?

A: Heart attacks happen when there is an inadequate blood supply to the heart muscle causing the muscle to starve for oxygen and die.
The most common source of heart attack is a sudden blockage of an artery that supplies the heart muscle with blood. Usually there is a rupture of fibro-fatty plaques that tend to form on the inside of the arteries. When these plaques rupture a blood clot forms that completely and suddenly blocks the artery – causing chest pain.

Typical cardiac pain is a pressing or compressing chest discomfort (often not described as pain). It may radiate to the neck, left shoulder, left arm or between the shoulder blades. There may be epigastric discomfort.

This chest discomfort is typically made worse with activity or emotional upset and improved with rest. Angina usually does not stay around for hours on end without either worsening or resolving. Shortness of breath, sweating profusely, nausea, vomiting, and impending doom can accompany the chest discomfort.

Q: What are the most common symptoms of a heart attack?
What are some less common symptoms as well? Who would likely be a victim of a heart attack?

A: It is different for everyone….usually Chest pressure/pain, shortness of breath, nausea, sweats, pain that goes from shoulder down the arm, pain in neck or jaw. My father has had 6 heart attacks. The first time, all he felt was nausea, dizziness, pain in jaw, and short of breath, he thought he was coming down with a weird flu…he went into cardiac arrest about an hour after his symptoms started. He had the same for the first 3(except for the cardiac arrest) …The last three he actually experienced chest pain and shortness of breath. The risk factors of Coronary Artery Disease are: If you have a family history of heart disease such as Grandparents, parents, siblings, high cholesterol/blood pressure, smoking history, obesity, diabetes. If you have any of the above you are at risk of having a heart attack. I am 29, and because I have a family history, I started seeing a cardiologist….I am also a smoker, and have high cholesterol. It’s always good to start getting a physical once a year, if you have any of the risk factors.

Q: What are most common symptoms of a heart attack?
What are most common symptoms of a heart attack?

A: When a coronary artery becomes blocked, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that coronary artery dies, this is more commonly known as a heart attack or myocardial infarction. The usual symptoms of heart attack are severe, persistent, crushing chest pain radiating to the arms, with sweating, nausea, vomiting and breathlessness. If you suspect you are having a heart attack, call an ambulance, chew an aspirin, this reduces further blood clotting and rest until the ambulance arrives. Heart attacks frequently occur without warning and without the presence of any other obvious symptoms like angina. So it’s always better to keep a check on blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels so that you can be more cautious about any heart problem during rise in levels of cholesterol, and try to control it. for more information home tests for cholesterol go to

Q: What are all the symptoms of a heart attack?
My girlfriend is complaining of her head feeling like its on fire and her arm hurts and her fingers are tingling. Is your head feeling like its on fire a symptom?

Please list ALL symptoms of a heart attack thanks :)

A: Common warning signs are:

–Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the centre of the chest lasting more than a few minutes
–Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck, arms or sometimes the teeth
–Chest discomfort with light-headedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath
Less common warning signs are:

–Atypical chest pain, stomach or abdominal pain
–Nausea or dizziness
–Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
–Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue
–Palpitations, cold sweat, paleness

i hope she is okay =)

Q: How long after onset of symptoms does a heart attack occur?
About How long after onset of symptoms does a heart attack occur ?

A: I work in a position where I need to know medical information…it can occur anytime after symptoms.. a day… a week.. even a month.Really it depends on how severe your symptoms are and if they’re that bad you should call 911 or go in

Q: Physiological explanation of heart attack symptoms?
I know the symptoms but was wondering about the actual physiological mechanisms that cause them. If anyone knows the reason for any of the following symtpoms occurance during, in the lead up to or after a heart attack please help me out!

Cold Sweat?
Skin paling?
Difficulty breathing (acute and prolonged)
Prolonged fatigue?
Rapid heart beat?
lightheadedness/dizziness?
Fainting?

Also, do many of these symtpoms have something to do with the autonomic nervous system going haywire?

Thanks!!

A: A heart attack, or myocardial infarction is when the blood supply to your heart muscle (through coronary arteries) is cut off to the point that there is not sufficient oxygen to keep your myocardium (heart muscle) alive.
This causes necrosis (death) of heart muscle which is what causes the severe pain. The cardiac output of the heart (volume pumped out) falls and so blood supply to the tissues drops, causing the paleness. As a response to the lack of oxygen, the heart rate is increased (as it is in exercise) to try to get sufficient blood to your tissues.
Breathlessness occurs due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the tissues) but also severe chest pain can cause difficulty breathing. The dizziness and fainting are caused by lack of oxygen to your brain. Other symptoms are a result of shock.

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heart attack symptoms in women

Read and learn more about heart attack symptoms in women. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: Heart Attack Symptoms In Women Not Take Seriously by Men Doctors..?
Why do women not get dignoised as fast as men when it comes to a heart attack. Women have different symptooms than men, and yet doctors do not take women seriously when they are having problems they can not explain…leading to death! Why hasn’t the medical feild made a list just for women on this?

A: “Women commonly have symptoms of shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue, or pressure in the lower chest, so they easily mistake it as a stomach ailment.”

In the Circulation study, common female heart attack symptoms include:

shortness of breath (57.9%)
weakness (54.8%)
unusual fatigue (42.9%)
Women also had these symptoms:

Nausea
Dizziness
Lower chest discomfort
Upper abdominal pressure or discomfort that may feel like indigestion
Back pain

Q: What are the symptoms of a heart attack for women? How do you know?
I am 45 and a woman. I have been having pain in my shoulders and mid back, trouble breathing, and dizziness. I have been using my inhaler every 2 hours and have been taking 800mgs of motrin for the pain and a gas X and previcid for my stomach. The breathing problems seems better but I am still in some pain. My husband, a nurse, says I am not presenting the symptoms of a heart attack and thinks it is more upper respiratory related. I have also had sore shoulders for a while with limited movement that my doctor thinks is my rotator cuff. Do you think I should ride it out on pain meds and albutoral or go to the emergency room? I’m not in distress as much as I was. Any suggestions? Thanks!

A: Very good question. Women present much differently than men do when it comes to your hearts. Atypical is the typical in women. I’ve diagnosed heart attacks (myocardial infarctions) time and time again in women who only have shortness of breath, nausea, weakness, shoulder pain (rotator cuff!), etc.
The thing I hate hearing most from my patients is that they are having ‘gas’ pain. So many times it turns out to be cardiac.
When you go to the emergency room they will do an ekg, chest xray, and cardiac enzymes (heart labs), etc. However, this alone does not rule out a heart attack. They will most likely keep you overnight to do atleast two more ekg’s and heart labs seperated by six hours and after you ‘rule out’ they’ll probably do stress testing.
Other life threatening conditions such as pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in your lungs), etc can present in a similar fashion.
It may be nothing, but please don’t make the mistake of blowing this off. Go straight to the hospital and check it out. I don’t want to say what I do for a living on this forum, but please believe me you need to go get this checked out.

Q: heart attack symptoms in woman 40 have you had one?
I had a pain run up my left side from the bottom up and over to my chest, which struck me from moving for a second . and my left arm hurts, but thats the only symptom. Anyone had a heart attack only reply please, what was your symptoms, and if you had this pain, doesnt a attack come on pretty quick after the symptoms?
also pain is now in mid back shoulders. though I would think it would of hurt more my chest is burning a tiny bit and thats it. panic attack?

A: Don’t screw around….call 9-1-1 and GO TO THE HOSPITAL WITH THE PARAMEDICS.

Women do not have “typical” heart attack symptoms, so you must rule out cardiac causes first.

Q: what are symptoms of heart attack in women?
in the past 3-4 weeks i have had heartburn (i take prilosec) and some vertigo while sitting/standing. also have experienced weakness in knees when standing…like i am gonna collapse. and today i had neck pain right below jaws…i am 59yrs old and kinda scared. i need advice…thanks

A: For women, the symptoms are not as clear cut as for men. While all of the normal symptoms> chest pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, jaw/left arm pain, profuse sweating< are sometimes found with women, many times there is only one or two of these symptoms, or none of them at all. Basically, if you feel like something is wrong, don't wait to see what happens, just go to the ER and have it checked out... Immediately. You are at a prime age for a heart attack, and the symptoms you describe are alarming. Take 4 of the 80 mg chewable aspirins if you have them and go straight to the emergency room.
My Uncle told family members last year that he thought he may have had a minor heart attack a couple of weeks before their conversation, but thought he was fine since he began taking a couple aspirin every morning and the symptoms were pretty minor. Two days later he had a massive heart attack in front of his 16 year old daughter. He was 54. It was devastating to everyone, and what made it worse is he would still be here today if he had gone to the doctor when he first thought something was wrong. If you go and it turns out your heart is okay… that would be great news. If you don’t, and you have a heart attack, the impact of your death on your loved ones can be devastating.

Q: Are the symptoms of heart attack different in men and women?
If so what are the differences.

A: Symptoms are different for everyone. Men can have central chest pain radiating to the left arm, with the shortness of breath and sweating. Women can get vague symptoms, like pressure in the chest. And there are people who don’t have any pain (diabetics). Others symptoms are back pain, dizzy, tooth ache, and people also have the urge to use their bowels.

Q: Could these be heart attack symptoms in a female?
I just experienced these very weird feelings tonight while on here and for the first time 2 days ago. I am a bit concerned they could be early warnings of a stroke/ heart attack. I am over 35 and do smoke and take the pill. I am not over weight, have low cholesterol, BP, etc and my GP says a low dose estrogen pill for me is okay.

Here are the symptoms- I know in women they can be different than men. It starts with intense and sudden pain on the bones of both jaws and then is followed by a tightness in my forehead and then a crushing pain in an oval right above my breasts in the center of my chest. Along with that, I am just awash with a general ill feeling and then after about 10-15 minutes it passes. I will ask my GP Monday about this but do any of you know if these could be warning signs.? Thanks
Thanks- I am fully aware of the risks and trust my GP. In cases of NO other risk factors being present, as in my case, smoking women over 35 only have a 1% greater risk than others on the pill. I am not asking for a DX, just curious if anyone has heard of these symptoms. :)

A: You could be having some typre of seizure or allergic reaction. I was in the Air Force for 4 1/2 years when I started have trouble concentrating. I found out that I had frontal lobe epilepsy that was compounded by rapid changes in air pressure (from being in a helicopter.)

It’s good that you’re going to the doctor.

Q: I have heard that tingling in the fingers can be a symptom of a heart attack in women. Has anybody else heard?
I get tingling in my fingers sometimes when I dry my hands on a towel, or when I take my walks.

A: The way the symptoms of a heart attack are taught to both health care providers and the general public for the most part is that any pain or “strange/unusual” feeling from “Teeth to Tummy” could possibly be a “heart attack.” The reason for this is to encourage all health care providers as well as the general public who may be at risk to keep a high index of suspicion. The way they AHA used to educate the public was found to have major holes – they tended to teach about the “10/10 crushing chest pain radiating to the jaw and left arm” and that is not how many, many heart attacks present.

So, basically, the dangers and implications of letting someone who is actually having a heart attack pass under the radar are so great that it is better to err on the safe side and have that person with questionable symptoms be tested and treated just in case, because there is that 1 in a million (not an actual statistic) person that is actually having a heart attack and only has tingling in their hand.

However, having said that, I have treated hundreds of patients who were having actual MIs, and NOT ONE of them presented with ONLY tingling in their hands. HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen. Most likely though, if you are having tingling in BOTH hands, that points much more to a neurological problem, or a circulation problem (like if it happens when your hands are cold (after washing) or when you go on walks (circulation is down to your hands).)

If you have any accompanying symptoms, it is more likely to be cardiac (heart) related. If you have any shortness of breath, lightheadedness, getting tired very quickly when you haven’t done that much exercise (walking up the stairs, etc), those also point to a cardiac problem.

Also, it seems like what you’re talking about is more of a long-term problem. Has the tingling been increased today? Did you have any other symptoms you don’t normally have? A “heart attack” is not a long-term event. It is an acute emergency that is not ongoing over many days or weeks. The people who have “silent” heart attacks (are very lucky to survive, first of all and) are usually are experiencing a smaller event that is not in an area of the heart that would show damage immediately, such as within the conduction system. If you have been having the tingling for many weeks or months, although it may be a cardiac-related symptom, it is highly unlikely it is a symptom of a heart attack. Unless the tingling increases in severity suddenly or changes from how it usually feels. I know that was kind of confusing, I hope it made sense.

You should talk to your doctor, especially if you are post-menopause (those women often have very atypical presentations when they have heart attacks) and just have him do an EKG of your heart and whatever else he feels is necessary just to be on the safe side. Like I said, tingling could be a sign of a cardiac problem, but as an isolated, chronic symptom, it is highly unlikely to be a heart attack. Another bonus of talking to your doctor is if he doesn’t think it’s cardiac related, he can probably give you some advice on how to make it go away. For instance, if it is carpal tunnel (certainly a possibility), there are exercises, physical therapy and surgery to make the symptoms go away. You want to make sure you are treating the right thing. But kudos to you for doing your research, always better safe than sorry. And if you get any accompanying symptoms like shortness of breath, go to the ER or call an ambulance, because those signs, with the tingling, could indicate an acute emergency such as a heart attack (or other things). Good luck and feel better!

Q: what are the symptoms for a heart attack in a diabetic patient that is 35 years old?
can some one tell me what the signs and symptoms of a heart attack for a woman that is 35 to 36 years old, known diabetic and has an enlarged heart?

A: Most often the symptoms of a heart attack are shortness of breath chest pressure or tightness, heavy sweating, nausea numbness of the left arm or jaw.

Now you are female and women don’t always show the classical symptoms and add to the fact that you are Diabetic even makes it more difficult to show the classical symptoms. I say this about Diabetics because there is strong correlation with Diabetes and Heart Disease. Another interesting issue is that, many Diabetics develop a Neuropathy ( decreased sensation) throughout their body so they don’t show the classical symptoms.

I really suggest that you see your physician as soon as possible and let him/her know that the symptoms that you are feeling.

Good luck and get in to see your doctor!

Q: when are flu-like symptoms a heart attack or just the flu?
I woke up this morning with dizziness and nausea………..proceeded to vomit about 3 times in a span of about 4 hours. This evening I’m better, but still have some nausea. When are “these” symptoms a heart attack? I’m a 65 yr. old women.
Thank you

A: Our friend is 67
She had a heart attack.She just didn’t feel right.She didn’t throw up she said she felt detached from herself.You might want to see a Dr in the morning :)
feel better soon :) I think you ate something icky ot just have the flu!

Q: heart attack in women?
I think I’ve been feeling the early symptoms of a heart attack shortness of breath, chest pain pain between shoulders I’ve been having that for the past few weeks what can I do until I get to the dr? I’ve been really paranoid something is going to happen to. I’m going to call on monday but until then what can I do????? I don’t wanna go to the ER.

A: Take a bed rest and be calm. Do not think about heart attack and do not focus your attention on your heart. Paranoid may worsen your condition.
Try to meditate.

Q: what are the signs/symptoms of a heart attack or warning that one might be in the near future for women?

A: Tightening in your chest, rapid breathing or feeling that you can’t breathe, pain down your arms (left) in particular, increased perspiration

Q: women, do you know the symtoms of a heart attack?
Something we should ALL want to know!

PLEASE READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH!

She said she didn’t feel well and had a back-ache and was going to lay
down on the bed with the heating pad. Awhile later her husband went to
check on her and she was not breathing. They were not able to revive her.

I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is the
best description I’ve ever read…Women and heart attacks (Myocardial
infarction)

Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that
men have when experiencing heart attack…you know, the sudden stabbing
pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor
that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman’s experience with
a heart attack.

I had a completely unexpected heart attack at about 10:30 PM with NO
prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might’ve
brought it on. I was sitting all snugly &warm on a cold evening, with my
purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me,
and actually thinking, “A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft,
cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up.” A moment later, I felt that awful
sensation of indigestion, when you’ve been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of
sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite
seems to feel like you’ve swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in
slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn’t have
gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time
drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach.

This was my initial sensation—the only trouble was that I hadn’t taken a bite
of anything since about 5:00 p.m. “After that had seemed to subside, the next
sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my
SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasming), gaining speed as they
continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses
rhythmically when administering CPR). This fascinating process continued on
into my throat and branched out into both jaws. “AHA!! NOW I stopped
puzzling about what was happening–we all have read and/or heard about
pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven’t we?

I said aloud to myself and the cat, “Dear God, I think I’m having a heart
attack!” I lowered the footrest, dumping the cat fr om my lap, started to take
a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself “If this is a heart
attack, I shouldn’t be walking into the next room where the phone is or
anywhere else……,but, on the other hand, if I don’t, nobody will know that
I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in moment”

I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next
room, and dialed the Paramedics… I told her I thought I was having a heart
attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my
jaws. I didn’t feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was
sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near
me, and if so, to unbolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they
could see me when they came in. “I then laid down on the floor as instructed
and lost consciousness, as I don’t remember the medics coming in, their
examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or
hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken
when we arrived and saw that the Cardiologist was already there in his
surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the
ambulance. He was bending over me asking questions (probably something
like “Have you taken any medications?”) but I couldn’t make my mind interpret
what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up
until the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram
balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they
installed 2 side by side stints to hold open my right coronary artery.

“I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken
at least 20-30 minutes before calling the Paramedics, but actually it took
perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St. Jude
are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go
to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had
stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the
stints.

“Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? I want all of you
who are so important in my life to know what I learned first hand.”

1.. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body not the
usual men’s symptoms, but inexplicable things happening (until my
sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more women than
men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn’t know they were
having one, and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or
other anti-heartburn preparation, and go to bed, hoping they’ll feel better
in the morning when they wake up….which doesn’t happen. My female
friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to
call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you’ve
not felt before. It is better to have a “false alarm” visitation than to risk
your life guessing what it might be!*

2.. Note that I said “Call the Paramedics”. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!
Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER–you’re a hazard to others on the
road, and so is your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking
anxiously at what’s happening with you instead of the road. Do NOT call
your doctor–he doesn’t now where you live and if it’s at night you won’t
reach him anyway, and if it’s daytime, his assistant (or answering service)
will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn’t carry the equipment in his
car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN
that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.

3.. Don’t assume it couldn’t be a heart attack because you have a normal
cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated
reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it’s unbelievably high, and/or
accompanied by high blood pressure.) MI’s are usually caused by long-
term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly
hormones into your system to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw
can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware. The more
we know, the better chance we could survive.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people,
you can be sure that we’ll save at least one life. Please be a true friend and
send this article to all your friends you care about!

Thank You
this is not my personal experience, but one of an acquaintance………

A: Symptoms do vary. Mine was milder.
Severe heartburn, unrelieved by alka seltzer. Then an attack of vomiting. Half hour later an attack of diarrhea.

HERE IS IMPORTANT>> I thought it was Food Poisoning but I was so sick I hit 911. At that moment I felt the extreme weakness and knew to say into the phone: ” I think it’s a heart attack.”

I have stents in right coronary artery. I had been under stress for nearly a year.
Thanks so much for posting this.

Q: Looking for a drug that causes heart attack symptoms for something I’m writing? Please help!?
Writing a story in which a murder takes place at an outdoors cafe. Not sure who the killer is, but I’ve narrowed it down to either the waiter or the person eating with the woman who dies. The trick has to revolve around pills–help? Even if it’s only remotely related to pills, like the contents of a capsule of some drug or other were emptied into a glass of water/mixed in with food. It would be great if this were tasteless as the victim will be consuming this and should not be suspicious. Death needs to occur before these people leave the cafe. I would like the death to appear at first glance to be a heart attack. There needs to be something that’s slightly off about the case–like the other person in the party ate some of the victim’s place as well (and is not affected by this poison for some reason?), or maybe the victim is affected because of a certain condition they have (???) that causes them to actually have a heart attack (whereas a normal person would not die). Suggestions?

A: I suggest ipecac (maybe)….only thing that comes to mind. In even small doses it causes violent vomiting, and in larger doses I believe it can cause heart attack. Look into it. Another idea is beta-blocking eye drops. They are used in treating glaucoma and can cause serious drops in blood pressure or heart attack when ingested. The eye drops may work best for you because they are not a suspected murder weapon, and are easily slipped into someone’s drink

Q: what is your reaction bout this statement? HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE”:?
Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be
the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart
attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake
up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware.
The more we know, the better chance we could survive…

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10
people, you can be sure that we’ll save at least one life.
Read this….. It could save your life!!

Let’s say it’s 6.15 pm and you’re driving home .
Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts
to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw.
You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home.
Unfortunately you don’t know if you’ll be able to make it that far.
You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did
not tell you how to perform it on yourself.

A: Pretty good.

I’d add that 30% of heart attacks are silent or unrecognized, which causes patients to present for care much to late to receive the very best care. Patients need to present to the nearest ER as soon as a heart attack is suspected, preferably within an hour of onset of symptoms. This would make them eligible for the very best procedures and medications to abort the heart attack and it saves lives.

Q: is this a heart attack?? (for women)?
my mom felt pain since this morning (and possibly since last night)

a pain that started from the chest and that slowly traveled up to the upper shoulder area.

but she says it’s lasted all day (and isn’t a sudden obvious pain that lasted 3 minutes like a heart attack)

Could you tell me if this is a possible heart attack?? (although she’s been feeling like this all day)??

she hasnt had any of the other symptoms like nausea, dizziness, cold sweat, edema, etc.

please tell me your source (a nurse/doctor especially in the cardiology department) would be very helpful.

A: take her to er or to a doctor please.

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signs of a heart attack

Read and learn more about signs of a heart attack. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: what are signs of heart attack for women?
heart attack signs i’ve been having back pains for a week now and pain in the temple when i yawn there is a popping i have a burping problem when i feel a little nauseous i just belch and belch, i don’t have to have eatten anything either chest soreness at times no hard pains though

A: I JUST went through this and spent a couple of days getting a complete heart work up. A “popping” in the jaw is more a symptom of TMJ rather than a heart condition. Having pains in the back and trouble with belching could be indicative of a gall bladder problem. What happened to me was severe chest pains followed by a numbness/severe pain in my jaw. My left arm was partially numb – all that and no heart attack thankfully! What I want to tell you is two things -

1.) Women are often misdiagnosed for heart attacks because they do not happen in women as frequently as in men.

2.) The symptoms you are having could be a number of other things and do not sound like a heart attack BUT go to your doctor and have them do a complete check up on your heart because you never know!

Q: In case of early signs of heart-attack (pain in chest, arm + nausea), can 2 aspirins benefit?
Aspirin is said to make your blood thin. Could this be of use when someone is not too far from a heart-attack.?

A: yes, but only as a first aid resource, you can also help the victim by sitting them and trying to reasure them . however all conditions or signals of heart attacks require medical help so don’t hesitate into take them to see the doctor.

Q: What are some signs of heart problems?
I know the heart attack signs but what are some others that you can have if you have a heart problem?

I tend to get into phases where I worry I have something wrong: this time its my heart. i am a women, age 25 over weight. My family doesn’t have heart problem problems.

A: - Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest.

-Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

-Other symptoms, such as a shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

Q: fever chiills be signs of heart attack?
My dad had a heart attack 3 years ago, he didnt know he had a heart attack, over two weeks period, he thought he wsa just dehydrated from work, anyways he had two stents put in, takes plavix, lovastatin and two other meds, and also is taking a pain med . for his back, he is experiencing fever and chills in the evening, especially when its hot outside, could this be another heart attack?

A: No, fever and chills are not symptoms of heart attack, but can be rheumatic fever symptoms, which can lead to cardio-valular problem/s.

Q: Can you get a heart attack with out any signs?
And what are the signs of a heart attack?

A: Yes you can have heart attacks without any signs especially if your a diabetic these heart attacks are also known as a silent MI, (MI is myocardial Infarction) medical term for heart attack. Some of the symptons are feeling of doom, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, tingling or numbness in left arm, pain in jaw, pain in back, diaphoretic ( profuse sweating), feeling you are having indigestion is a big one I have noticed with my patients, lethargic (tired,weak).
If you think you maybe having a heart attack call 911 and never drive yourself to the hospital.

Q: What are some signs of a heart attack?
what are some signs of a mild and major heart attack? i’ve been having some pains in my left shoulder where my collar bone is and i know that it’s not a heart attack but i was wondering if its a sign of something. so i know if its nothing or something i need to call the dr. about. Thanks for your answers!

A: Crushing chest pain. Pain that radiates down the left arm and up into the jaw. Women often has nausea and vomiting.

You probably has some musculoskelatal strain. If in down, see your doctor – the sooner the better.

Q: What are the signs of a heart attack?
What are the signs of a heart attack for a woman in her 40’s?

A: Shortness of breath, tightness in chest, pain radiating down on left side of neck to the arm.

Q: What are the signs of a heart attack or stroke?
My mother takes vicodin, blood pressure medicine, zoloft, and several other pills. For a while she either forgets to take her pills or takes them with alcohol. Now the top of her head hurts often, the left side of her face shuts down, and her stomach hurt even after 29 pound fibroid has been removed. Did she have a minor stroke or heart attack and didn’t even know? Or is it something else? What can I do to make sure she stays alive and ok? Any advice would help. Thank you!

A: I would tell her to stop taking all the meds with alcohol and the signs of heart attacks are..

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.

Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

Strokes:
* Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
* Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
* Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
* Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
* Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

In my opinion she needs to go see a doctor at any of these signs

Q: What are signs that youre probably going to have a heart-attack? ?
What are the signs of a heart attack coming soon without going to the doctor?? How can you be sure you had a heart attack without going to the doctor?

A: the signs that you are having a heart attack is chest pain or pressure sweating shortness of breath.how a dr can tell if you have had a heart attack is with a ekg and blood tests raised enzymes are the main thing that tells them

Q: Warning signs for a heart attack or a stroke?
What are the warning signs of a heart attack? Are they different for men and women? If so, how? What are the waring signs of a stroke?

A: Heart attack: Men tend to have more chest / arm pain. Women often have trouble breathing or gastric (stomach) complaints. I had an old woman to came to the ER when she couldn’t stop burping. Big heart attack

Stroke : Men & women are similar. Classic “mini strokes” : episodes of visual disturbances, paralysis of one arm/leg, trouble speaking

Q: My mother is have signs of a heart attack, free health care?
my mom is having signs of a heart attack
and wants to have tests run but we have very little money right now with no income…
what should we do?!
I really dont know what to do and am very worried!
Is there someway to have tests done for free or much cheaper?

A: If she’s having symptoms right now, take her to the ER or call 911 as soon as possible. Her life may depend on it.
You can always work out a payment plan with the hospital later.

Q: What should I do if I am experiencing early signs of a heart attack.. Left arm hurting. Chest pain?
My left arm has been hurting all day and now I am experiencing little pain in my chest. I just want to know of some home remedies to prevent the heart attack or is it Inevitible that it is going to happen

A: It is very unlikely that you would be having abrupt onset of some pain in your arm and now at your chest too, all day and this actually be unstable angina (pain coming from your heart due to heart disease).

If you are concerned, then go to the ED and have it checked out. They will take it seriously no matter how unlikely it sounds. You should note that they will take measures to rule in or rule out an acutely presenting heart condition – and will treat a heart condition if it exists. If you rule out, they may or may not treat your arm pain and they may not provide you with a diagnosis.

Many, many things can account for your symptoms other than a heart attack. Only a trained medical person who can take a full medical history, do a physical exam, and do diagnostic and lab work, would be able to tell what you need to know.

If you do nothing else, then take a single, full strength aspirin (NOT ibuprofen or tylenol) daily. There are no reliable home remedies for a heart attack.

Good luck.

Q: What are the early signs of a heart attack for young and old/ how can it be prevented?
Heart attacks have run on my dads side of the family a lot, and I am at high risk for one. I eat pretty healthy, but I don’t really know what to eat to help my heart.

Thank you

A: Eating foods that are low in fat and cholesterol will help a lot. Also, exercise can help out a lot. My dad died of heart problems and I was concerned about my health. My doctor told me that my heart is strong and all of the tests look really good. Have your doctor test you if you are really concerned. Let the doctor decide what course of treatment, if needed, to keep your heart healthy.

Q: My moms arm hurts? Is it signs of a heart attack or something?
Okay, so my mom is 37 and she has high blood pressure. Her upper arm hurts and I don’t know if it is something serious or not. I an wondering if its symptoms of a heart attack or a stroke. Please help!
This has been going on for a while. But the pain isn’t constant one day it hurts and the other it doesn’t. I am really confused…!

A: This could be something as simple as overuse of this muscle. Taking some motrin would be appropriate. If it goes away, it is probably muscular in origin. If more symptoms occur – chest pain, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea as time progresses, then she needs to seek medical care.

Q: I have a tight squeezing feeling in my heart is signs of a heart attack? ?
I have a tight squeezing feeling in my heart is signs of a heart attack?
Im 18 but i’ve only had this probebly twice before, but nothing too serious.
or could it be from stress or something?
I just found out that this guy i like likes me back though..

A: i having heart prob and im 16 and i had your that symptom for around few years u better c doc for a check up

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