Here are a few points to keep in mind.
HEART ATTACK SYMPTOMS MAY DIFFER IN WOMEN
A 2017 article by Harvard Medical School reported that the symptoms of heart disease often show up differently in a woman, and she’s much more likely than a man to die within a year of having a heart attack.
Assistant Prof Koh said: “Cardiovascular disease is often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be subtle. The result is that women may delay going to the doctor, discovering their heart disease at a later stage or when it’s too late to seek effective treatment.
“Typically, men show symptoms of chest pain when having a heart attack. Women may experience chest pain as well, but they are more likely than men to also report atypical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sweating and pain at the neck, jaw, throat, abdomen or back,” she said.
The SingHealth website also lists other atypical heart attack symptoms a woman may experience: Feeling faint or dizzy, shortness of breath, fatigue, coughing and heart ‘flutters’.
BE AWARE OF HEART CONDITIONS THAT MAY MIMIC A HEART ATTACK
While men develop plaque build-up in the largest arteries that supply blood to the heart, Assistant Prof Koh said women are more likely to do so in the heart’s smallest blood vessels. When these small vessels constrict, they may cause chest pain similar to a heart attack.
Another example is a condition known as broken-heart syndrome.
“Typically occurring after emotionally stressful events, this mimics a heart attack in its symptoms and electrocardiogram patterns,” she said.