{"id":318030,"date":"2025-10-20T07:40:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T07:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/318030\/"},"modified":"2025-10-20T07:40:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T07:40:20","slug":"er-doctors-say-these-are-the-heart-symptoms-women-should-never-ignore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/318030\/","title":{"rendered":"ER Doctors Say These Are The Heart Symptoms Women Should Never Ignore"},"content":{"rendered":"

At one time, heart disease was believed to largely only happen to men<\/a>, which meant women weren\u2019t included in health studies on the topic.<\/p>\n

While this has changed \u2015 and it\u2019s now known that heart disease<\/a> is the leading cause of death for women (and men) in the United States \u2015 research is still catching up. This means heart health outcomes are worse<\/a> for women than they are for men.<\/p>\n

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Heart disease is an umbrella term for many cardiovascular conditions, including coronary artery disease,\u00a0which can lead to emergent episodes like heart attacks<\/a>\u00a0\u2015 which are also understudied in women.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn medical school, when we learn about heart attacks, we learn about something called typical chest pain, and that is … right behind the center of your chest, and it\u2019s crushing chest pain that usually goes down your left arm and it goes up to your jaw,\u201d said Dr. Jennah Morgan<\/a>, an emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State University\u2019s Wexner Medical Center.<\/p>\n

Generally, someone experiencing this type of pain walks into a hospital while gripping their chest and sweating, Morgan added.\u00a0However, heart attacks don\u2019t present this way in everyone \u2014 especially women.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what to know.<\/p>\n

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Chest pain is still the most common heart attack sign for women, but it could feel more like achiness or tightness, which often gets dismissed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBetween both men and women, chest pain is still the most common sign,\u201d said Dr. Bernice Fokum<\/a>, an emergency medicine physician at the University of Chicago Medicine.<\/p>\n

This is often seen in shows and movies, such as in an episode of popular TV show \u201cThe Pitt\u201d where character Doug Driscoll complained of chest pain and told ER staff he thought he was having a heart attack.<\/p>\n

However, chest pain can feel different for men and women, according to Morgan.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn men, it usually is the \u2018elephant on my chest,\u2019 this deep, intense pressure pain,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cFor women, it might be achiness, it might be a little discomfort, it might be a little squeeze, a little tightness, but it may not be the crushing chest pain that we\u2019ve been taught to look for.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Sometimes this sensation is mistaken for something else, like anxiety or stress \u2015 especially in women. That\u2019s why it\u2019s crucial to know your body and advocate for yourself if you think you might be at risk for a heart issue or experiencing a cardiovascular event.<\/p>\n

Other common symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, acid reflux and nausea.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is also customary for women to have vague symptoms, Fokum said, \u201cwhich is a bit overwhelming as clinicians because it might be something that you want to write off as, \u2018oh, that\u2019s just somebody having some acid reflux\u2019 or, \u2018that\u2019s just somebody who slept weird and they\u2019re having some shoulder pain.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Clinicians aren\u2019t the only people who may write the vague symptoms off \u2014 women may, too, which may delay care and lead to serious health consequences.<\/p>\n

Both Fokum and Morgan said the atypical signs of a heart attack in women include shortness of breath, nausea, indigestion, acid reflux, discomfort right below the rib cage, unexplained fatigue, neck pain and back pain.<\/p>\n

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These vague symptoms could be signs of many issues other than heart attacks, however, including the flu, a bad night\u2019s sleep and food poisoning, which is both good and bad news.<\/p>\n

While you don\u2019t need to panic the next time you have nausea or have unexplained tiredness, you should also take symptoms seriously if they feel off.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople know their body,\u201d Fokum said. If you routinely get indigestion after eating spicy food or know your neck pain is from a certain pillow, you likely don\u2019t need to worry much about those symptoms.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re having a \u201cgnawing, really uncomfortable sensation not precipitated by things that normally\u201d occur, perhaps accompanied by shortness of breath, you may want to speak with your primary care doctor, Fokum said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr if it is persistent and you are really concerned … it really might make sense for you to either call the paramedics or go to the emergency department.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Neck<\/p>\n

Neck pain, back pain and chest pain can all be signs of a heart attack in women. andreswd via Getty Images<\/p>\n

People with heart attack risk factors should never ignore these symptoms.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women with heart attack risk factors or a family history of heart disease should pay close attention if they have any of the vague symptoms mentioned above, both doctors told HuffPost.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink big picture,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cIf you have a family history of heart conditions, if you already have predisposing factors\u201d \u2014 for example, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney disease or a combination of several conditions \u2014 it may make it more likely that \u201csomething concerning is happening,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI would say have a low threshold if you don\u2019t feel well\u201d and also have those risk factors, Morgan said.<\/p>\n

If you have a personal history of heart disease or heart attacks, you should also take all signs seriously, according to Fokum. The same is true if you\u2019re in your 50s, 60s or 70s, when heart attacks are more common.<\/p>\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean younger people should ignore these symptoms. Heart attacks are happening in younger women more often, research shows<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you have any heart attack symptoms, it\u2019s crucial to advocate for yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just as many women are unaware of some of the vague signs of a heart attack, the same knowledge gap exists for some medical professionals. Meaning, your nausea (that\u2019s actually a heart attack) or back pain (that\u2019s actually a heart attack) could be dismissed at the hospital.<\/p>\n

Only you know what is normal for your body and what\u2019s not, Fokum said. If you notice that you\u2019re very fatigued or feeling unexplained pain, respectfully let your medical care team know at the hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat may increase the number of tests I do or increase the interventions that I recommend,\u201d Fokum said.<\/p>\n

You could even tell your care team that you suspect you\u2019re having a heart attack. There can be \u201ca lot of bias whenever we, as clinicians, talk to women and assess women\u2019s symptoms and determine what kind of intervention [is needed],\u201d she added. \u201cFor a multitude of reasons, there are less lifesaving cardiac interventions that are done for women than men across the board. It is the reality of the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Research shows<\/a> that women with symptoms of a heart attack are less likely than men to receive aspirin, which can be protective during a heart attack, and less likely to receive other medical interventions, too, according to Fokum.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, somebody being an advocate for themselves in these settings is going to be really paramount in pushing them towards having a higher likelihood of getting the interventions that they need,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

If your doctor runs tests and it turns out you aren\u2019t having a heart attack, that\u2019s OK. \u201cWe certainly have a lot of people who come in and it ends up not being a heart attack. Sometimes it is just simply acid reflux,\u201d Fokum said.<\/p>\n

There is no reason to be embarrassed if you go in for testing because of a serious concern and it turns out you\u2019re not experiencing what you think.<\/p>\n

\"While<\/p>\n

While chest pain is a common sign of heart attack in women, so are vague symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, back pain and acid reflux. J Studios via Getty Images<\/p>\n

If you aren\u2019t sure if you need to go to the emergency department, call for advice.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not everyone can afford to just go to the emergency department when a concerning symptom like unexplained fatigue or nausea occurs.<\/p>\n

If you suspect you are having a heart attack, it\u2019s crucial that you go to the hospital, but \u201cif you have a question, you have hesitation, I think it\u2019s OK to call [your local emergency department] because if something is really concerning, the person on the other end will say, \u2018get here now\u2019 … I think that message will be clear,\u201d Morgan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are concerned and you\u2019re worried about costs, I would say it\u2019s still always better [to go to the hospital]. You can worry about costs later and save your life,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cBut if you\u2019re more inclined to say, \u2018no, I\u2019m not coming,\u2019 I would at the very least call an emergency department and speak to a healthcare provider, and they can at least give you some support.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are lifestyle habits that can help lower your heart attack risk.<\/strong><\/p>\n

With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the U.S. for women, and increased\u00a0heart attacks<\/a>\u00a0in younger women, it\u2019s important to do what you can to lower your risk.<\/p>\n

Exercising is one way to do this, Morgan said. It\u2019s recommended that adults get<\/a> at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise (such as walking, gardening or dancing) each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (such as running, singles tennis or swimming).<\/p>\n

\u201cThen also just eating a high-fiber diet, a diet that is high in vegetables and fruits. But of course, with fruits, you have to make sure that if you have diabetes, that you\u2019re looking at sugar control as well,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cIf you already have a diagnosis and you\u2019re already prescribed medication, do your best to stick to your medication regimen,\u201d especially if it\u2019s medication for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and more.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to know your numbers <\/a>for blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, which can all be gathered through a routine blood test.<\/p>\n

Controlling stress is also important for your health. \u201cStress is horrible for your body. It raises your cortisol levels. It raises your blood pressure. It just really puts everything out of whack,\u201d Fokum said.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s not easy to stay stress-free during busy days and tough economic times, it is important to try.\u00a0Meditation, socialization, church, therapy and time in nature can all help lower stress. Find a method that works for you.<\/p>\n

Heart attack symptoms in women aren\u2019t taken as seriously as those in men, which leads to fewer medical interventions and deadly outcomes. If you notice any concerning health symptoms in yourself or in a loved one, go to a doctor immediately and do what you can to get the treatment you deserve.<\/p>\n

Related…<\/p>\n

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