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Women's Heart Attack Signs/Symptoms
Clinical manifestations:
1) preceding a heart attack
- unusual fatigue ~ 70%
- sleep disturbance ~ 48%
- shortness of breath ~ 42%
- indigestion ~ 39%
- anxiety ~ 35%
2) during a heart attack
- chest pain (most common) [1,2]*
- shortness of breath ~ 58% [2,3]
- weakness ~ 55%
- unusual fatigue ~ 43%
- cold sweat ~ 39%
- dizziness ~ 39% [1,3]
- nausea/vomiting [2]
- back pain or jaw pain [1,2]
- palpitations [1]
* accuracy of most chest pain characteritics in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is low [4]
- the association with exertion is a stronger indicator of AMI than association with dyspnea, pressure, or stress [4]
References
- Berg J, Bjorck L, Dudas K, Lappas G, Rosengren A.
Symptoms of a first acute myocardial infarction in women and
men.
Gend Med. 2009 Sep;6(3):454-62
PMID: 19850241
- American Heart Association
Heart Attack Symptoms in Women
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/WarningSignsofaHeartAttack/Heart-Attack-Symptoms-in-Women_UCM_436448_Article.jsp?gclid=CMKrjZPP68ECFUVgfgodEpAARw
- Women's Heart Attack Signs
http://www.nih.gov/news/WordonHealth/dec2003/capsules.htm#heartattacksigns
- Rubini Gimenez M, Reiter M, Twerenbold R, et al.
Sex-specific chest pain characteristics in the early
diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.
JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174:241-249
PMID: 24275751