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The first step to surviving a heart attack is to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack. The more of these symptoms you have, the more likely it is you’re having a heart attack.1 And women are more likely than men to have more than one symptom of a heart attack. The most common heart attack symptom in women and men is chest pain. However, women are more likely to have at least one of these other heart attack signs.2
Many women say that they felt "off" or that something was "just not right" before their heart attack, but they didn't realize their symptoms could be related to their heart.3 Not all heart attacks feel the same. Some are sudden and intense. Others may start slowly with mild pain or discomfort, which can come and go over several hours, or get worse. New symptoms, or a change in the pattern of existing symptoms, are cause for concern. The only way to be sure is for hospital emergency department staff to examine you as soon as possible. Trust your instincts and remember that you know your body better than anyone. When in doubt, check it out.
Most heart attacks involve chest pain or discomfort in the center or left side of the chest. It usually lasts for more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. It may even feel like the worst heartburn or indigestion you’ve ever had. Women may be more likely to use words like “crushing” or “pressing” to describe heart attack chest pain. Some women say it is “discomfort” or a very bad ache.4
This symptom can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper part of stomach (not below the belly button). Pain in the back, neck, or jaw is a more common heart attack symptom for women than it is for men.
This symptom can come on suddenly. It can happen while you are resting or not moving around very much. You may struggle to breathe or take deep breaths. Shortness of breath may start before or at the same time as chest pain or discomfort, or may be the only heart attack symptom you have. If you have trouble breathing for more than a few minutes, this is a medical emergency and you should call 911.
Unexplained or excessive sweating, or breaking out into a "cold sweat," can be a sign of heart attack.
Sudden and unusual tiredness or lack of energy is one of the most common symptoms of heart attack in women, and one of the easiest to ignore. It can come on suddenly or be present for days.
Unlike in the movies, most heart attacks do not make you pass out right away. Instead, you may suddenly feel dizzy or light-headed.
Women are much more likely than men to experience nausea, vomiting, or indigestion during their heart attack.5 Women often dismiss these symptoms, or think that nausea, vomiting, or indigestion is normal. Nausea and vomiting may be signs that something is seriously wrong, especially if you have other heart attack symptoms.
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All material contained on these pages are free of copyright restrictions and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated.
Page last updated: March 02, 2018.
A federal government website managed by the Office on Women's Health in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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