The Differing Symptoms of Heart Attacks in Men and Women

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the United States for both men and women. Each year, over 735,000 people have a heart attack in the United States.

Despite the numbers of heart attack victims being roughly equal between then genders, more women than men die every year from a heart attack and women are also more likely to suffer a second heart attack within five years of the first.

This is, in part, because the symptoms of a heart attack differ between men and women. In this article, we’ll be looking at the difference between these symptoms.

Read More: Heart Attack or Sudden Cardiac Arrest

The Differing Symptoms of Heart Attacks in Men and Women

Symptoms of a Heart Attack

Both men and women may experience the basic signs of a heart attack, such as chest discomfort and pain or pressure in the chest, neck, arms, or back.

Other symptoms that both sexes may experience include sweating and a feeling of heartburn that may come with nausea. Men are more likely to experience these typical symptoms than women.

Symptoms in Men

Common symptoms of a heart attack in men include weakness, unusual fatigue, shortness of breath, breaking out in cold sweats, and dizziness.

Symptoms in Women

Women may experience heart attack symptoms such as shortness of breath, a disturbance of sleep, unusual fatigue, a feeling of indigestion, and anxiety.

Many women neglect to seek medical attention because they believe they have the flu or something that is not serious.  For this reason, it is important for women to pay especially close attention to their symptoms.

Preventing Heart Attacks

There are several simple ways in which both men and women can reduce their risk of having a heart attack. These include:

Exercise – Walking just 30 minutes a day can lower your risk of a heart attack, elevate your mood and get you a slimmer waistline.

Stop smoking – Smoking has been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks in both men and women. After just one year of stopping smoking, you can decrease your risk of coronary heart disease by up to 50%

Eat Healthily – Avoiding processed foods, lowering your intake of salt, and eating foods that are rich in nutrients, fiber, and healthy fats can significantly decrease your risk of suffering a heart attack and the other health concerns associated with a poor diet.

Learn To Save Lives

Here at Northwest Career College, we are committed to providing affordable, quality CPR Classes to the Las Vegas community. We pride ourselves on being an American Heart Association (AHA) testing center and we offer Las Vegas CPR classes designed to fit your personal needs and professional schedule. As part of our “student-focussed” approach to education we also off our CPR classes free of charge to all of our students. Call us today on (702) 403-1592  to book your CPR class and become qualified to save a life in just four hours!