Men and women are different in many ways, especially concerning heart health. Though both genders are at equal risk for heart attack, men and women do not experience the same symptoms. On top of that, women are more likely to die from a heart attack than their male counterparts.
Dr. Fahmi Farah and our team at Bentley Heart in Fort Worth, Texas, examine how heart attacks affect men and women differently and how they can take steps to safeguard their health.
When you think of a heart attack, you likely think of things you’ve seen in movies and TV shows. Someone clutches their chest painfully, breathes rapidly, and slowly falls to the ground while onlookers scramble to help.
While this might be an accurate depiction for many heart attack sufferers, it’s not always what happens, especially when you consider gender differences.
Men are most likely to experience classic heart attack symptoms, such as crushing chest pain, sweating, shortness of breath, and pain in the chest, arms, neck, and jaw. Because the warning signs are more noticeable and intense, men are more likely to get faster medical treatment and survive a heart attack.
Some women do experience crushing chest pain, but more often than not, heart attacks manifest as a combination of less-recognizable symptoms. A woman having a heart attack might notice:
These symptoms are easy to write off as non-life threatening issues, like acid reflux, the flu, or even stress and anxiety.
As a result, women tend to take a wait-and-see approach, not realizing the significant damage happening to their hearts.
The best thing you can do is learn all of the potential warning signs and then get immediate medical help if you notice any of them. It’s better to come in with a false alarm than let a heart attack develop under the radar.
Remember, every minute counts when your heart is at stake, so don’t wait to get help. If you think your symptoms indicate a heart attack, head to the nearest emergency room or call 911 for help.
We also recommend knowing and mitigating your risk for heart attacks. Those most at risk for a heart attack are smokers, have high blood pressure and/or cholesterol, are overweight or obese, live a sedentary lifestyle, have diabetes, don’t eat a balanced diet, have a family history of heart problems, and have unmanaged stress.
You can reduce your risk by living a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a healthy weight, managing chronic health conditions, and quitting smoking.
You should also see Dr. Farah for a heart health evaluation. During your evaluation, we conduct thorough testing on your heart and discuss your health history, family history, lifestyle, and any symptoms you’re experiencing.
If you’d like to see Dr. Farah for a heart health evaluation, call our friendly staff at 817-720-5185 or use our online booking tool to schedule a consultation today.