Women and Heart Attacks
#10
  Re: (...)
Someone posted a thread on women and heart attacks a while back, but when I ran across this article and my experience this past trip, I thought it’s time to reinforce the symptoms women MUST look for. While the symptoms are good warning signs and must be reported to your doctor, the number 1 rule for women to report to doctors is…

I AM HAVING CHEST PAINS

Whether you are or not, if you are having 2 or 3 of the following symptoms, some doctors WILL NOT automatically diagnose a heart attack – thus losing valuable time to save your life!! Always mention chest pains!

I have had 2 heart attacks in the last 20 years and I had numerous symptoms from the list below, I did not have chest pain and at first the drs. wanted to say I was having gall bladder attack among other things.

This past month on the road, in the middle of the night, I had 3 symptoms and went into a clinic the next morning. Fortunately, after testing, I wasn’t having a heart attack, but my signs were warning me that clogging is developing again, which I was expecting – so, I’ll watch it more carefully for a while. Anyway, TMI – I guess, but I just want you all to be so careful – you all are quickly catching up with me in age and you could be next…..


Heart Attack Symptoms Women Shouldn't Ignore

An estimated 38,000 women under age 50 have heart attacks each year in the U.S. But heart trouble can easily be confused with other ailments, like indigestion. Check out our symptom decoder so you don't miss any warning signs.


Tingling down one or both arms or legs
While this often means you've got a pinched nerve or arthritis in your neck, "it's important to rule out heart problems first," says Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health at NYU Langone Medical Center. See your doctor if you notice any tingling in your extremities.

Nausea/vomiting
You could have more than just a bug if your upset stomach comes along with other heart-related symptoms, such as shortness of breath, a cold sweat or pain in your chest or back.

Shortness of breath/racing heart
It can be really difficult to differentiate between a panic attack and a heart attack, since they share these symptoms. A few tells: Panic attacks can be triggered by a stressful event (though not always), and other signs can include trembling, intense terror and an overwhelming sense of doom. Panic attacks also typically come on suddenly and should pass within five minutes, while women's heart-attack symptoms tend to start slowly and linger. The only way to be sure about what's happening, however, is to get to the ER.

Jaw pain
Your jaw could hurt if you're having a heart attack, because the nerves attached to it lie close to ones that come out of your heart. If the pain is constant, you probably have a dental problem; if it pops up intermittently and gets worse when you exert yourself, it's more likely to be heart-related.

Dizziness/light-headedness
Feeling faint for no obvious reason (like doing a tough workout or being dehydrated) could mean that not enough blood is getting to the heart, especially if you're also suffering from shortness of breath and a cold sweat.

Discomfort or burning in the chest or back
Women often describe a heart attack as tightness, heaviness, pressure or a squeezing sensation. The pain doesn't have to be severe or sudden; it could come and go for weeks, so it's often mistaken for indigestion or heartburn. If it doesn't come on shortly after a meal, if you don't normally have indigestion or if you're also experiencing symptoms such as nausea, it needs to be checked promptly by a doctor.

Extreme fatigue
If you're unable to walk a block comfortably or if you feel like you have to stop and rest while going about your daily activities, it could be a sign that blood is not getting to the heart fast enough.

How heart attacks happen
They're most often triggered by a buildup of fatty deposits called plaque in our coronary arteries. When that plaque thickens and hardens, you develop atherosclerosis—a common heart disease that causes attacks. (Other forms of heart disease include arrhythmia and congenital issues.)

Atherosclerosis can block blood flow, and therefore oxygen, to the heart muscle and lead to a heart attack. Some risk factors for heart disease are a family history, elevated blood pressure and/or cholesterol, obesity, smoking, high stress levels and having a sedentary lifestyle, although you can have heart attacks without being predisposed to them.

Less common causes include a blood clot and a blood-vessel tear in the heart (known as a spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a rare condition that is most prevalent in those age 30 to 50).

Source
Source: by Rachel Rabkin Peachman - From Health magazine
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#11
  Re: Women and Heart Attacks by cjs (Someone posted a thr...)
Great information, Jean. I'm sure glad your middle-of-the-night scare was not a heart attack.

Another good point:

"An estimated 38,000 women under age 50 have heart attacks each year in the U.S. But heart trouble can easily be confused with other ailments, like indigestion. Check out our symptom decoder so you don't miss any warning signs".

My 36 yr. old daughter, Holly, had a scare just a few weeks ago. The family went to church on a Sunday morning and right after they got there, Holly started having symptoms and they had to leave. She had pain in her left arm and upper back, her heart started racing, and she couldn't catch her breath because she was so stressed. They had to leave the service and drove to our house, (which is on the way to the hospital) and Ron ran out into the driveway to give her an aspirin.

Bob took her to the ER to get checked out and everything was fine. It was most likely a panic attack brought on by the fear that she was having a heart attack. The pain in her arm was probably caused by a pinched nerve in her neck and she went to the chiropractor to fix that. We were all relieved that it was not a heart attack as Ron's grandfather died from a heart attack at the age of 37. Always best to get checked out.
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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#12
  Re: Re: Women and Heart Attacks by Mare749 (Great information, J...)
Oh Maryann - Holly is just too young to be scared like that! How awful for her and the family.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#13
  Re: Re: Women and Heart Attacks by Mare749 (Great information, J...)
We need to be careful, Dr's aren't always "on top of it". I had a similar experience to Holly's. Pain down both arms, shortness of breath, pounding heart and chest pains - went to MD. They did an EKG, gave me nitro to carry in my purse, and sent me for a stress Echocardiogram. Nada, nothing, zilch. But I was still scared to death.

I noticed that a few other things didn't feel right and went to a Chiropractor - pain and symptoms gone.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#14
  Re: Re: Women and Heart Attacks by Harborwitch (We need to be carefu...)
Good for the doctor to 'assume' tho, Sharon!
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#15
  Re: Re: Women and Heart Attacks by cjs (Good for the doctor ...)
I agree! I'd rather a doctor be overly cautious rather than not!

Maryann, that is so scary!

Jean, thanks for the info! I'll surely be paying attention!
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#16
  Re: Re: Women and Heart Attacks by Gourmet_Mom (I agree! I'd rather ...)
Thanks jean

Always good to bring to our attention

I learned a thing or two from this.

Hope everyone is safe

Marye
Everything will be all right in the end. So if it is not right, then it's not yet the end.
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#17
  Re: Re: Women and Heart Attacks by mjkcooking (Thanks jean[br][br]...)
Oh dear lord Maryann, you all must have almost had a heart attack! So glad it was nothing serious. I do think our nerves can bring on something though. We should all have aspirin in the medicine closet!
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#18
  Re: Re: Women and Heart Attacks by cjs (Good for the doctor ...)
Quote:

Good for the doctor to 'assume' tho, Sharon!


Yes it was! I would never recommend a person go for the Chiro first . .
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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