Younger Women at Risk for Heart Attack

Heart disease is the leading killer of women in the United States, and although heart disease in women increases after menopause, it can—and does—affect younger women. According to the American Heart Association, approximately 16,000 young women die from heart disease each year in the United States while another 40,000 are hospitalized. On top of that, women under the age of 50 are twice as likely to die of a heart attack as men of the same age. Doctors are not sure exactly why, but they have several theories.

The most common—and alarming—is that heart attack symptoms in women age 55 and younger are sometimes overlooked or misdiagnosed. “Chest pain is the typical heart attack sign, but many women—and doctors too—don’t realize that heart attack symptoms in women can look very different than those of men,” explains Rahil Kazi, MD, FACC, cardiologist on the medical staffs of Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital.

Both men and women can experience the typical signs of a heart attack such as pressure, fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of the chest that may spread to the neck, shoulder or jaw as well as lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath. But heart attack symptoms in women can occur gradually and usually in combination with other symptoms not typical of a heart attack, making it difficult to diagnose.

“While women can have chest pain as a symptom of a heart attack, it’s important for them to understand that chest pain might not be their symptom,” continues Dr. Kazi. “Women having a heart attack usually have shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue or dizziness, indigestion or nausea or pressure in the lower chest, making it easy to dismiss their symptoms as a stomach ailment. If you have unusual symptoms, call your doctor and discuss the possibility of heart disease or a heart attack. That’s the time to come in for a checkup—when you feel something is not quite right.”

Delaying seeking immediate medical help is another reason that could account for the high percentage of women dying from heart attacks. Women often wait before going to the emergency room because they don’t want to be embarrassed if they are not having a heart attack or they don’t understand the seriousness of their situation.

“If you believe you are having a heart attack or experiencing heart attack symptoms, call 911 immediately for an ambulance to take you to the emergency room. Don’t wait any longer than five minutes,” urges Dr. Kazi. “Time wasted is precious time that could be spent saving your heart muscle instead.”