Written By: Keerthana Venkatesh
Edited By: Rhsysand Warner
Normalization of Men’s Symptoms of Heart Attacks
Myocardial infarction occurs when a heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood. It is more commonly known to the general public as a heart attack. When one normally thinks about the symptoms that come with having a heart attack, their mind typically goes to discomfort in the upper areas of the body, specifically the chest. However, these warning signs are mainly found in men rather than women due to the lack of research on women’s symptoms. This can make it difficult for women to correctly identify that they may be having a heart attack.
Symptoms In Women Vs. Men
As previously stated, some common symptoms men get when they’re having a heart attack are chest pain, neck pain, jaw pain, nausea, and shortness of breath. On the other hand, women more commonly experience fainting, indigestion, and extreme fatigue. Some warning signs they experience that are similar to men are vomiting, shortness of breath, and jaw and neck pains. Like men, they also sometimes experience chest pains, though that is not always the case. However, they also experience upper back pains and cramps in the abdomen. The heart attack indicators that women experience are very different from what men experience, often making it difficult for women to seek proper diagnosis and treatment.
Misdiagnosis of Women’s Heart Attacks
Women often incorrectly interpret the symptoms of a heart attack and believe these symptoms to be common and less threatening. Symptoms such as throat pains, breaking into a cold sweat, and dizziness lead them to believe they may be experiencing something such as acid reflux, the flu, or even just aging. Doctors believe that this is due to the fact that they get scared and believe that they must put their families before themselves. Additionally, they acknowledge that most believe that chest pain must always come with a heart attack when that’s not always the case. Instead, the chest pain is replaced with shortness of breath and upper backpressure. In fact, a lot of the symptoms mentioned, like the back and abdomen pains, pain in the arms, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, sweating, and fainting are common side effects of having a period. This sadly leads to women taking aspirin rather than seeking appropriate treatment.
Leading Cause of Death In Women
The lack of research on women’s symptoms is especially important since the number one cause of death in women is heart attacks. In fact, most people believe that heart attacks kill men more than women. However, since 1984, more women have died due to heart disease than men. As both genders age, women tend to be more at risk than men are. This is why it’s important to spread information on the symptoms women face.
Research on Women Symptoms
Luckily, there is more research being done on women’s symptoms. As awareness is being spread, more research is being done on how different heart attack symptoms are manifested in different genders. As these new studies are continuing to be conducted, it is also important to make people of all ages know these warning signs since they could possibly save someone’s life. Physicians should also be made aware because some aren’t familiar with these symptoms either. This can help men and women be given appropriate treatment when they experience something as life-threatening as a heart attack.
Works Cited
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Heart Attack Symptoms for Women (Infographic) . (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2021, from https://www.palomarhealth.org/heart-and-vascular-center/heart-attack-symptoms-for-women
Heart Attack Symptoms in Women. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2021, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack/heart-attack-symptoms-in-women
Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery. (2021, January 11). Retrieved July 23, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/heart_attack.htm#:~:text=A heart attack, also called,main cause of heart attack.
Not Just a Mans Disease: Understanding Heart Attacks in Women. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2021, from https://www.pfizer.com/news/hot-topics/not_just_a_man_s_disease_understanding_heart_attacks_in_women
Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women vs Men. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2021, from https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/about-heart-disease-in-women/signs-and-symptoms-in-women/symptoms-of-a-heart-attack
The Heart Attack Symptoms Every Woman Needs to Know. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2021, from https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/heart-and-vascular-blog/2019/january/heart-attack-symptoms-women-need-to-know
Warning Signs of a Heart Attack. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2021, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack
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