Are Women’s Heart Symptoms Different?
October 26, 2009 by Peggy Rowland
Filed under Women's Health
Several groups have been working hard to get the word out to women that a woman’s heart attack symptoms may vary greatly from a man’s. However, a new Canadian study reveals something different.
According to the study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2009, there were no gender differences among the 305 angioplasty patients studied in rates of chest discomfort or other typical heart attack symptoms: arm discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, indigestion-like symptoms and clammy skin. Angioplasty may briefly cause symptoms similar to a heart attack.
The study found that while men and women both may experience typical or non-typical symptoms, women were more likely to experience both the classic symptoms of a heart attack and throat, jaw and neck discomfort.
“Clear educational messages need to be crafted to ensure that both women and healthcare professionals realize the classic symptoms are equally common in men and women,” says study leader Martha Mackay, a Canadian Institutes of Health Research clinical research fellow and doctoral student at the UBC School of Nursing.
During emergencies when a heart attack is suspected, MacKay advises women to tell their doctors about all of their symptoms, not just the ones that are asked about, like chest pain.
(Image via stock.xchng)
