Symptoms of heart disease in women are often similar to those seen in men, and include chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, and nausea. In some women, the first symptom is a heart attack. In fact, nearly two-thirds of American women who died suddenly of a heart attack had no prior symptoms of heart disease.
Symptoms of Heart Disease in Women: An Overview
Many people believe that women do not get
heart disease. The fact is that one in three American women dies of heart disease, and more women die from heart disease and
stroke than from all cancers combined.
It is true that women develop heart disease later than men. It is thought that female hormones help protect women from heart disease prior to
menopause. After menopause, women have heart disease as often as men do. It is also true that
symptoms of heart disease in women can be different from symptoms seen in men.
Common Symptoms of Heart Disease in Women
Just like in men, symptoms of heart disease do not always occur, especially in women with early heart disease.
Heart disease symptoms will appear when the coronary arteries have been sufficiently clogged to cause a reduction in blood to the heart. At this point, a woman may experience one or several symptoms of heart disease.
Common symptoms of heart disease in women may include:
- Chest pain or discomfort that may travel to the arm or jaw
- A burning sensation in the chest or upper abdomen
- Shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air)
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Faster heartbeats
- Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach)
- Irregular heartbeats
- Feeling very tired.
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