EXCLUSIVEI'm a cardiologist... here are the subtle signs of a heart attack women should NEVER ignore
- People assume women's heart attack symptoms are similar to men's
- But Dr. Bradley Sewer said heart attacks can appear differently in females
- The leading cause of death for women in the U.S. is a heart attack
Whether it was from school, TV, or that scene in Four Weddings and a Funeral, you're probably well-versed in the symptoms of a heart attack.
You know the ones: pain in your left arm and heart.
Or so you thought.
Because a lot of what we know about science and health are based on the bodies of white, able-bodied men, often anyone who doesn't fit this description is left out of the equation.
And this includes women.
So because you've been conditioned to recognize the symptoms of a man, you probably wouldn't recognize if you were having a heart attack.
In fact, interventional cardiologist and chief medical officer at Vital Solution Dr. Bradley Serwer told DailyMail.com that women don't even always have chest pain when they're having a heart attack.
'Instead, they may experience shortness of breath, nausea, indigestion, or upper abdominal pain, dizziness or passing out,' Dr. Serwer said.
Women don't always experience a pain in their chest when they're having a heart attack (stock image)
And it's because of this difference in symptoms that a diagnosis can be delayed.
This can have fatal repercussions.
'Though heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the United States, they tend to present with it seven to 10 years later in life compared to men,' Dr. Serwer said.
'Due to the under recognition of heart disease in women, studies have indicated that they receive less aggressive treatment.'
So what other heart attack symptoms are women potentially missing out on?
Dr. Serwer said that jaw pain can be an indication, especially if they commence during moderate exercise and then subside when you rest.
He also said that pain primarily located on the left side of the jaw, especially when accompanied by the absence of redness or swelling in the jaw, can be a signal that your pain is being caused by something more severe than you thought.
And the idea that a shooting pain is a sign you're having a heart attack isn't totally off.
Because women's heart attack symptoms are less recognized, they often get less aggressive treatment than men do (stock image)
If you feel pain in your neck and arm - any arm - this could be the symptom of a heart attack.
And if you're having any sort of shortness of breath, perspiration, or clammy skin followed by pain, you might want to get to a doctor immediately.
'The pain should be taken more seriously if you have significant cardiac risk factors, such as a smoking history, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or a strong family history of coronary artery disease,' Dr. Serwer said.
Whether you've experienced this symptoms before or they're showing up out of nowhere, it's always better to be safe than sorry - especially when it comes to your heart.
