Heart attack symptoms in women

Heart attack symptoms in women can be a bit different from those in men. Women tend to ignore the symptoms because they can be quite subtle.

While chest pain is the most common sign of heart attack for both men and women, some women just have a feeling of tightness, pressure or discomfort in their chest. So, if you’re a woman, how do you know if you are having a heart attack?

Image: Go Red for Women(external link)

You may have some or all of these symptoms, including symptoms with or without chest discomfort.

1. Pain/tightness in chest

A common symptom is a feeling of tightness, pressure or discomfort in your chest. Chest discomfort is caused by blockages within your main heart arteries. Women also tend to have blockages in the small arteries coming off your heart (known as microvascular coronary disease). For this reason, chest discomfort may not be the worst, or most noticeable, symptom in women. 

2. Shortness of breath

You may feel like you can’t breathe properly or you can’t get enough air into your lungs. Some women may even experience difficulty breathing a few weeks before having a heart attack.  

3. Nausea/vomiting or sweating

You may feel really queasy or actually vomit. You may also feel sweaty and clammy.

4. Lightheadedness/dizziness

You may feel light-headed, dizzy or not quite ‘with it’.

5. Pain in other parts of your body

You may feel pain or pressure in your jaw, neck, arm, lower or upper back, belly or torso. You may feel like you have indigestion or reflux. Remember pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong.

6. Unusual fatigue/weakness

You may suddenly feel very tired or very weak.