Heart Attack: Women vs Men

Although men and women are alike in many ways, they differ with symptoms of heart-related illnesses. Who is more susceptible to heart disease? What signs should we look out for? Are there indications that are gender-exclusive? Caregivers of both older men and women should learn these red flags.

The main symptom that both sexes share is chest pain. The description can be sharp, dull, crushing, stabbing and is rated from 1-10 with 10 being the worse pain ever experienced. 

The difference between male and female heart attack symptoms is in "secondary" or referred pain sites. 

Women have more pain in the neck, middle of the back, jaw, and throat. They are also more short of breath and nauseated while men sweat profusely and become lightheaded. Men usually turn an ashen gray whereas women don’t lose their color until after losing consciousness. 

This is where physicians in the Emergency Room get confused and misdiagnose women as having digestive issues. Sometimes the chest pain is there, but nausea and vomiting are much more prominent. 

How can caregivers tell their elder is having a heart attack and not indigestion from disagreeable foods? 

Alongside the secondary symptoms of a heart attack, the individual's health status before the event should be a huge indicator. The key is to know the following risk factors:  

- High Blood Pressure 

- Obesity

- High Cholesterol 

- Family History of Heart Disease. 

A heart attack is life-threatening for both men and women. However, it is important to know the signs that are more common for men or for women in order to deliver quick treatment. If you have any suspicion if your loved one may be suffering from a cardiac event, contact medical professionals immediately. 

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