Attention Women: Three Classic Signs of a Heart Attack
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., M.S.
The classic sign of a heart attack isn't always searing pain in the chest, usually lasting several minutes.
According to Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and author of Women Are Not Small Men, "women often experience shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, or the pressure lower down in the chest mistaken for a stomach ailment."
Women also complained of sleep disturbances, back pain, indigestion and anxiety.
"The typical time for a woman to have a heart attack is about 10 years after menopause," Goldberg said, placing it around age 60.
Unfortunately, two-thirds of women who have their first heart attack die suddenly.
Know the Exertion Test
Women should pay attention to how they feel when exerting themselves.
When the condition gets bad, the person will get symptoms with less and less exertion, or even at rest. It is not uncommon for women to have a heart attack, six weeks following exertion symptoms.
