What Are the Most Common Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women?

Heart disease, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, is the leading killer of women in the United States. The most common symptoms of a heart attack in women are the same as those in men, but the symptoms often are much less severe in women.

Identification

• The classic symptoms of a heart attack, in both men and women, are pain or discomfort in the chest that radiates to the shoulders, arms, neck or back, shortness of breath, pounding heartbeats and extreme fatigue that comes on suddenly. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting or indigestion, dizziness, weakness and unexplained sweating.

Considerations

• Approximately 33 percent of women do not have any chest pain when having a heart attack, according to the Women's Heart Foundation, and 71 percent experience flu-like symptoms for two weeks to one month before having noticeable chest discomfort or extreme shortness of breath.

Misconceptions

• When experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, many women mistakenly believe they are having a panic attack.

Warning

• Statistics from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute state that women who smoke have a two to six times greater chance of having a heart attack than women who do not smoke.

Effects

• Heart disease kills one in four women, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, and 23 percent die within one year after experiencing a heart attack.