Heart Attack Symptoms Ignored by Women
The thought of having a heart attack was the farthest thing from her mind when Cindy called her doctor.
She thought she was having an episode of acid reflux and delayed calling her doctor.
When she finally called her physician, he asked her to go to his office on his request and had an EKG (electrocardiogram).
He faxed the EKG to a cardiologist who told him to send his patient to the hospital.
A week later Cindy had triple bi-pass surgery.
The story is real, not the names.
I am writing an article for a local weekly newspaper about the need for women to recognize that their symptoms of having a heart attack are likely to be very different from the symptoms of a man.
The goal is to get the word out that women, especially women over 50, need to have regular checkups with doctors other than their gynecologists.
Gentlemen, this story is just as important for you, because I am betting you have a mother, a wife, a sister, a significant other who thinks like Cindy except they need to also know that women do have heart attacks.
What I have learned is that the situation for Cindy is common.
Women who have atypical symptoms, such as arm or back pain or nausea, might not realize that they are having a heart attack.
Then, when they do seek emergency care, doctors sometimes misdiagnose them or don't treat them with the same urgency as they do with men complaining of possible heart attacks.
Dr.
Pamela Marcovitz, Director of the Ministrelli Women's Heart Center in Royal Oak, Michigan, explains that women still do not think of themselves at risk of heart attack.
They also tend to excuse their symptoms, and delay going to emergency because they do not want to make a mistake or bother anyone.
Some women simply do not think their pain signaled anything significant and did not warrant immediate medical attention.
Doctors advise women to learn the different symptoms of heart attacks and to call 911 when any of these signs appear.
The longer a woman waits before getting treatment to open the blocked blood vessel to the heart, the more damage is done to the heart muscle.
If there is much heart muscle that is damaged the woman is a greater risk of heart failure.
Besides the acute chest pain and left arm numbness that are common symptoms in men, other symptoms for women include: shortness of breath, weakness, and unusual fatigue.
Other symptoms for women are nausea, dizziness, upper back pain, and upper chest discomfort that feel like indigestion.
Keep in mind that a woman's heart attack can look very different from the symptoms of a man.
If you do feel discomfort and feel you should have attention do not drive yourself to the hospital.
Call 911 so that paramedics can begin evaluation as soon as they reach you.
Let emergency medical personnel know any medications to prevent drug interactions.
While waiting for the ambulance, chew a whole aspirin, It must be chewed to get into the blood stream, Then lie down and try to stay calm.
She thought she was having an episode of acid reflux and delayed calling her doctor.
When she finally called her physician, he asked her to go to his office on his request and had an EKG (electrocardiogram).
He faxed the EKG to a cardiologist who told him to send his patient to the hospital.
A week later Cindy had triple bi-pass surgery.
The story is real, not the names.
I am writing an article for a local weekly newspaper about the need for women to recognize that their symptoms of having a heart attack are likely to be very different from the symptoms of a man.
The goal is to get the word out that women, especially women over 50, need to have regular checkups with doctors other than their gynecologists.
Gentlemen, this story is just as important for you, because I am betting you have a mother, a wife, a sister, a significant other who thinks like Cindy except they need to also know that women do have heart attacks.
What I have learned is that the situation for Cindy is common.
Women who have atypical symptoms, such as arm or back pain or nausea, might not realize that they are having a heart attack.
Then, when they do seek emergency care, doctors sometimes misdiagnose them or don't treat them with the same urgency as they do with men complaining of possible heart attacks.
Dr.
Pamela Marcovitz, Director of the Ministrelli Women's Heart Center in Royal Oak, Michigan, explains that women still do not think of themselves at risk of heart attack.
They also tend to excuse their symptoms, and delay going to emergency because they do not want to make a mistake or bother anyone.
Some women simply do not think their pain signaled anything significant and did not warrant immediate medical attention.
Doctors advise women to learn the different symptoms of heart attacks and to call 911 when any of these signs appear.
The longer a woman waits before getting treatment to open the blocked blood vessel to the heart, the more damage is done to the heart muscle.
If there is much heart muscle that is damaged the woman is a greater risk of heart failure.
Besides the acute chest pain and left arm numbness that are common symptoms in men, other symptoms for women include: shortness of breath, weakness, and unusual fatigue.
Other symptoms for women are nausea, dizziness, upper back pain, and upper chest discomfort that feel like indigestion.
Keep in mind that a woman's heart attack can look very different from the symptoms of a man.
If you do feel discomfort and feel you should have attention do not drive yourself to the hospital.
Call 911 so that paramedics can begin evaluation as soon as they reach you.
Let emergency medical personnel know any medications to prevent drug interactions.
While waiting for the ambulance, chew a whole aspirin, It must be chewed to get into the blood stream, Then lie down and try to stay calm.
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