Did your mother ever use the phrase “I am just sick and tired” on you when you were growing up? Mine did. She was sick and tired of my antics quite a bit. Sadly, this same phrase may also be the only signs a woman experiences when she is having a heart attack.
Most sources that talk about warning signs for a heart attack base their symptoms on those of a male patient. Women are not the same as men. Yes, sometimes we really do need science to point out the obvious.
Here are the hard facts of the matter. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States. It kills women more often than men. You increase your risk even more if you’re African-American, smoke, have diabetes, are over-weight, have high blood pressure, or take oral contraceptives.
There are plenty of things you can do to reduce your risk, but for now let’s focus on the worst case scenario. We often overlook, or think the subtle first signs of a heart attack are other problems. We spend more time concentrating on the health of those around us rather than paying attention to what our body is trying to tell us.
So what did I mean what I said being sick and tired might be something bigger than annoying children who don’t pick up after themselves?
Yes, it’s possible that you could experience the typical crushing pain that men do, but for women, pain is usually a late sign. The most common first symptoms are: shortness of breath, nausea, light-headedness, extreme fatigue, and flu-like symptoms. Feeling overwhelmingly “sick and tired”.
If we’re paying attention we might notice a pressure or tightness in the center of our chest that comes and goes. We might feel like we have heartburn or high stomach discomfort. Occasionally there will be pain or discomfort in other “odd” places such as our back, between our shoulder blades, arms or jaw. And, don’t forget women’s intuition, many women report an overwhelming sense of dread or doom. Just an extreme dread- feeling that “something is wrong”.
If any of these symptoms happen to you, pay a little closer attention. If they last more than a few minutes, it might be time to talk with your doctor or go to the emergency room. This is one time you can’t be too cautious.
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