Heart attack symptoms

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women, accounting for nearly one-third of women's deaths annually. Health officials are warning that women often experience different heart attack symptoms than men.

Women can have subtle symptoms, said Dr. Wendi Carns, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Cape Care for Women.

Heart attack symptoms in women can include back and jaw pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, nausea or vomiting, she said. A woman may even feel like she's experiencing acid reflux.

Men typically experience symptoms such as chest pain or pressure, or numbness in the left arm.

Carns said women don't always recognize they're suffering a heart attack and, in some cases, their physicians mistake their symptoms for signs of stress, panic disorder or hypochondria.

"It can be a very silent killer among women," she said.

Carns is involved with the American Heart Association's "Go Red Campaign," which helps to spread information to women about heart disease. She's also the primary caregiver for many women, and feels it's her job to educate them about their No. 1 killer.

"Women are more concerned with breast cancer," she said. "But in fact, if you add up the next seven major causes of death, it doesn't add up to the amount of women who die each year from heart disease."

More than 1.5 million women die each year from heart disease, Carns said.

The statistics for repeat heart attacks are also higher in women. According to the American Heart Association, 35 percent of women and 18 percent of men who've suffered a heart attack will have another within six years.

Christy Sprengel, a nutritionist with the Cape Girardeau County Health Center, said it's important women know their risk factors for heart disease, and make conscious efforts to improve their lifestyles to prevent heart disease.

"Family history is a big one, which, unfortunately, we can't change," Sprengel said. "If women smoke, that can contribute to heart disease. Eating healthier foods and increasing physical activity are preventive measures women can take."

Sprengel recommends women consult their physicians before starting a diet or exercise program.

"There's very much a push to educate women about heart disease, and to try and get them motivated to change the things that contribute to it," Carns said.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

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