
Did you know?
Women who are having a heart attack are more likely than men to be misdiagnosed. This means that women are less likely to get the heart attack treatments they need to prevent serious damage to their heart. Learn tips for getting the best care after heart attack.
Panic attack or heart attack: How do you know?
Heart attacks are often mistaken for panic attacks or other problems like indigestion. This is because it is harder to diagnose a heart attack in women. Many women have less common heart attack symptoms than men, and it can take many hours for some blood tests to show that you have had a heart attack.
If you think you've had a heart attack, but your tests come back normal, ask to be re-tested a few hours later to make sure.
Heart disease and women (PDF, 129 KB)