Heart Attack Symptoms And Causes

What Is A Heart Attack

A heart attack can catch you completely off guard irrespective of age. Heart disease is a universal health threat that can hit at any time. When the blood supply to a portion of the heart is cut off, the heart muscle cannot receive oxygen, which results in a heart attack. That area of the heart starts to die if the blood flow is not soon restored. The degree of the damage can range from minor to severe or even life-altering, depending on how long the blood supply is cut off. If you don’t recognize the heart attack symptoms, it can prove fatal. 

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Heart Attack Symptoms In Women

Compared to men, women have a lower chance of surviving their first heart attack. This might be a result of gender-specific symptoms. Women are more prone to experience odd symptoms or suffer a “silent” heart attack.

Additionally, certain disorders that raise risk, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), are not present in male biology, which results in distinct risk factors for heart attack in women. Following symptoms of a heart attack in women clearly indicate calling a doctor right away.

• A feeling of fullness, pressure, or pain in the middle of your chest. It persists for a long time or disappears and reappears.
• Pain in the back and neck and slight uneasiness in the hands (especially the left one).
• Breathlessness, either coupled with or without chest pain.
• There are additional symptoms including cold sweats, nausea, or lightheadedness.
• Chest pain or discomfort is the most typical heart attack symptom in women, just like in males. The other typical symptoms, such as shortness of breath, nausea, and vomiting, as well as back or jaw discomfort, are more likely to affect women than males.

Heart Attacks in women can occur without any chest pressure, despite the fact that both men and women can experience what seems like an elephant sitting across the chest. However, the signs of a heart attack can really be more subtle and, at times, even more puzzling.

In spite of the fact that you haven’t moved an inch, it is possible that you are experiencing extreme shortness of breath, as though you had just completed a marathon. Heart attack symptoms in women could also be described as feeling pressure in the upper back that is similar to squeezing or as if a rope were being tied around them.

Why Do Women Suffer Heart Attacks

Your chance of getting heart disease rises because of:

1. Menopause. Heart disease can strike a woman at any age, but your risk rises once your periods end, generally around age 55. Your body produces more estrogen (a female hormone) before menopause, which helps guard against heart disease. Because of this, women typically have coronary artery disease 10 years after males do. Estrogen levels fall during and after menopause, increasing your risk of heart disease. Your risk will be higher than that of other women your age if your periods stop before the age of 40H

2. History in the family.  You may have a higher chance of developing heart disease if your:

• Mother or sister suffered the same before reaching 65.
• Father or brother suffered the same before reaching 55.

3. Problems related to pregnancy. 
4. Using birth control measures. 
5. Endometriosis. 
6. Syndrome of polycystic ovaries. 
7. Autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. 
8. Metabolic disorder. 
9. Stress, anxiety, or hypertension. 
10. Obesity or Diabetes. 
11. Low amounts of HDL cholesterol. 
12. Smoking.

Chances Of Heart Attack In 50 Plus Women 

The chance of having a heart attack increases after menopause, which typically happens around the age of 50 for most women. The levels of the hormone estrogen begin to decrease around this time in a woman’s life. Estrogen is thought to help safeguard the health of your heart, which may explain why the average age of a woman’s first heart attack is approximately 5 years later than that of a man’s.

Women over the age of 50 are at an increased risk of experiencing extra symptoms associated with a heart attack. These symptoms consist of the following:

• severe pain in the chest pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach 
• quick or irregular heartbeat 
• excessive sweating and palpitations

Always keep these signs in the back of your mind, and make sure to visit your doctor for routine checks.

Signs Of Heart Attack In Men

Heart attack or heart disease is said to be the main reason for men’s death in most countries. Men experience heart attacks about twice as frequently as women do in the general population. Also, men experience heart attacks sooner in life than women do. Your risk of suffering a heart attack is increased if you smoke, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, are obese, have a history of smoking, or engage in other risky behaviors.

Heart issues frequently indicate sexual dysfunction. An 80% chance of heart issues within ten years exists for men in their 40s who have erection issues. A low testosterone level is often commonly mistaken for simply having less sex desire, but specialists say it’s also becoming more and more clear that it’s associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Your body as a whole and changes in how you feel sexually are intimately related. When something seems off, it’s important to get checked out. 

Stress, anger, and anxiety elevate blood pressure, stress hormones, and cardiac blood flow. After an angry outburst, your chance of a heart attack is five times higher and your risk of a stroke is three times higher, research shows. Sexual issues associated with heart disease might induce stress or anxiety. Stress impacts sleep, which harms heart health.

The following are signs of a heart attack in men:

• Standard chest pain/pressure is described as feeling like “an elephant” is sitting on your chest; it may be constant or sporadic, and it may be accompanied by intense upper body pain or discomfort, including pain in the arms, left shoulder, back, neck, jaw, or stomach. It may also be accompanied by a rapid or irregular heartbeat.
• Indigestion-like stomach pain and shortness of breath may make you feel as though you’re not getting enough air, even while you’re resting.
• Feeling lightheaded or as though you’re about to pass out and start sweating.

The Silent Heart Attack Symptoms

A silent heart attack is identical to a regular heart attack, with the exception that it does not manifest with the typical warning signs. To put it another way, you might not even be aware that you’ve had a heart attack until it’s too late.

According to the findings of a well-known study, the majority of people have heart attacks each year without even being aware of it. These occurrences inflict damage to the heart and raise the risk of future heart attacks, even though they are less symptomatic than a full-blown heart attack.

People who have diabetes and those who have already suffered from a heart attack are at a greater risk of experiencing a silent heart attack.

The following are the 4 silent signs of a heart attack:

• slight discomfort in your chest, arms, or jaw that goes away after sleeping 
• increased shortness of breath and increased fatigue 
• discomfort in the stomach or heartburn
• skin clamminess

After experiencing a silent heart attack, you may notice that you are more exhausted than you were before, or that it is more difficult for you to exercise. It is important to monitor your heart health by going to the doctor for frequent checkups. If you have a history of heart disease in your family or other risk factors for developing heart disease, you should discuss the possibility of obtaining heart testing with your primary care physician.

How To Prevent Heart Attack

Heart-Healthy Lifestyle 

Lack of dedication to a heart-healthy lifestyle is one of the main causes of heart disease. It is your responsibility to bring about some important lifestyle changes for a longer healthier life. By following these procedures, you can lower heart attack risk factors.

• Do not smoke. Also, encourage the smokers in your home to quit smoking. 
• Have more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; low-fat dairy products; chicken, fish, legumes, nontropical vegetable oils; and nuts; and cut down on sweets, beverages with added sugar, and red meats.
• Eat less of fat and cholesterol. Medication may be the solution if diet and exercise are not sufficient.
• Maintain your blood pressure, keeping it less than 120/80 mmHg.
• Exercise regularly. A minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise will help you maintain a healthy weight, and lower your blood pressure and your cholesterol.
• Obesity makes you insulin resistant and increases blood pressure and cholesterol. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy diet, calorie restriction, and physical activity.
• Alcohol abuse can cause obesity, alcoholism, suicide, and accidents. Men should limit alcohol consumption to two drinks per day and women to one.
• Insufficient sleep increases the risk of obesity, hypertension, heart attack, diabetes, and depression. Most adults need seven hours of sleep. Prioritize sleep and have a disciplined sleeping and rising time. 

How To Stop A Heart Attack – First Aid Information

Heart attacks can be fatal. You need to know how to stop a heart attack and take immediate action when you first notice symptoms of a heart attack. That way your chances of surviving a heart attack might be considerably increased. 

• Call an ambulance (Emergency Medical Services) or tell someone to do it. 
• If you have aspirin on hand, take a standard dose (325 milligrams) while you’re still conscious. Aspirin works by reducing the speed at which blood clots.
• By lying down and breathing slowly and deliberately, you can lower your heart rate.
• If you’re having a heart attack and your doctor prescribed nitroglycerin, take it as advised.
• If someone is having a heart attack and you can’t find a pulse, start CPR and call emergency services. 100 to 120 compressions per minute should be done with force and speed at the center of the person’s chest.

Takeaway

You never plan a heart attack. It is unpredictable but now you know what particular lifestyle changes can help in lowering the heart attack symptoms. You’ve seen how the heart attack symptoms in women differ from those in men. While women have more chances of silent heart attack they do not immediately know, signs of a heart attack in men are visible more frequently. 

Having a heart attack is terrifying for many people. However, you should keep in mind that there are always places to go for complete heart care and healing.