Women can experience heart attack symptoms that are so subtle they can be easily misinterpreted (by the victim and medical staff) for other issues like indigestion, stress or fatigue. Most women don’t seek treatment for a heart attack because they don’t experience the classic warning signs (shortness of breath, tightening of the chest, and pain) says the American Heart Association’s 9th Scientific Forum on Quality care and Outcomes Research (QCOR) in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke. When women experience heart attack symptoms, they may not seek medical support because they either self-diagnosed their symptoms as something else, decide not to use healthcare because of other preferences or their healthcare providers misunderstands their symptoms as well.
Self Diagnosed Incorrectly
The QCOR studied 30 women who had suffered a heart attack and found that most failed to connect their symptoms with a heart condition. Symptoms such as neck and shoulder pain, abdominal discomfort (mistaken for indigestion) or unusual fatigue can signal a heart problem. However, most women in this study attributed their symptoms to fatigue, indigestion, stress or overexertion.
Lower Healthcare System Utilization
Another reason why women may not seek medical treatment for their heart attack symptoms is because they engage with their healthcare systems differently than men. The study identified many factors that contribute to delays in seeking care, such as uncertainty, preference to self-medicate, and competing time/family demands.
Poor Healthcare Service Due to Misunderstood Symptoms
Many times the healthcare system is also at fault. Many of the women in the study did not receive prompt care for their symptoms because when they called their physician they were given an appointment within a few days. Some who went to an emergency room had long waits because they were thought to have non-cardiac conditions.
All the Signs of a Heart Attack
It is important to be aware of all signs of a potential cardiac arrest, including:
- Chest discomfort, uncomfortable pressure over the chest
- Fullness of chest
- Squeezing of chest
- Pain in the center of chest
- Spreading pain to inner side of left or right arm
- Pain over the upper back
- Radiating pain to the jaw
- Radiating pain over the neck region
- Upper part of the stomach – in this condition usually women are misdiagnosed as they are suffering from gastritis and treated with antacids
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sweating
- Chest pain