What are the signs of heart disease in a woman?

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  • Neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or upper belly (abdomen) discomfort.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Pain in one or both arms.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Sweating.
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness.
  • Unusual fatigue.
  • Heartburn (indigestion)

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How does a woman know if she has heart problems?

Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort.

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What are the signs of a silent heart attack in a woman?

This is called a silent heart attack. It means you don't even know you're having one.
...
Four Signs of a Silent Heart Attack
  • Chest Pain, Pressure, Fullness, or Discomfort. ...
  • Discomfort in other areas of your body. ...
  • Difficulty breathing and dizziness. ...
  • Nausea and cold sweats.

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How do I check myself for heart disease?

You can check for heart disease at home by measuring your pulse rate and your blood pressure if you have a blood pressure monitor. You can also monitor yourself for symptoms of heart disease, such as: Chest pain, pressure, discomfort, or tightness. Being short of breath.

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How long can a woman have symptoms before a heart attack?

Symptoms can last for days

In fact, one study found that women waited 54 hours to seek treatment for heart attack symptoms, compared to men who waited just 16 hours. If you think you or a loved one is suffering a heart attack, call 911 immediately.

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Heart Disease in Women - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options for Women

34 related questions found

What is the best test to check for heart problems?

A coronary angiogram is a type of X-ray used to examine the coronary arteries supplying blood to your heart muscle. It's considered to be the best method of diagnosing coronary artery disease - conditions that affect the arteries surrounding the heart.

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What is a pre heart attack?

Pre-Heart Attack Symptoms – Female

Men may feel pain and numbness in the left arm or the side of the chest. In women, these symptoms may appear on the right side. Women may experience unexplained exhaustion, or feel drained, dizzy or nauseous. Women may feel upper back pain that travels up into their jaw.

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What are 2 warning signs of heart disease?

Symptoms
  • Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort (angina)
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper belly area or back.
  • Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in the legs or arms if the blood vessels in those body areas are narrowed.

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How long can you have heart disease and not know?

You may not even know you've had a silent heart attack until weeks or months after it happens. It's best to know what's normal for your body and get help when something doesn't feel right.

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Can you have heart disease without knowing?

A silent heart attack, also called a silent Ischemia, is a heart attack that has either no symptoms, minimal symptoms or unrecognized symptoms. A heart attack is not always as obvious as pain in your chest, shortness of breath and cold sweats.

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How do I know if I'm having mini heart attacks?

SMI warning signs

It can feel like an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, or pain. Discomfort in other upper-body areas, such as one or both arms, the back, the neck, the jaw, or the stomach. Shortness of breath before or during chest discomfort. Breaking out in a cold sweat, or feeling nauseated or lightheaded.

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What happens a month before a heart attack?

Others -- women more so than men -- will experience some atypical symptoms as well, which may include fatigue, a general sense of unease, vague discomfort, back or abdominal pain and declining stamina. Both types of symptoms can be experienced months before an actual heart attack occurs.

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How do you know if you had a mini heart attack?

Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint. You may also break out into a cold sweat.

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How do doctors check women's heart?

Electrocardiogram (EKG): By recording the electrical activity of the heart, an EKG can check your heart rhythm and blood flow, as well as detect any changes in the size of your heart muscle or electrolyte abnormalities. Factors like these can be early indicators of heart disease.

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What are the first signs of a weak heart?

Heart failure signs and symptoms may include:
  • Shortness of breath with activity or when lying down.
  • Fatigue and weakness.
  • Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet.
  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat.
  • Reduced ability to exercise.
  • Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged mucus.
  • Swelling of the belly area (abdomen)

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What are silent heart attacks?

A silent heart attack is a heart attack that has few, if any, symptoms or has symptoms not recognized as a heart attack. A silent heart attack might not cause chest pain or shortness of breath, which are typically associated with a heart attack.

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What age does heart disease start?

Heart disease—and the conditions that lead to it—can happen at any age. High rates of obesity and high blood pressure among younger people (ages 35–64) are putting them at risk for heart disease earlier in life.

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Can blood test detect heart problems?

What your cholesterol levels and other substances in your blood can tell you about your heart health. Your blood may offer many clues about your heart health. For example, high levels of "bad" cholesterol in your blood can be a sign that you're at increased risk of having a heart attack.

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How do I know if I have heart problems or anxiety?

The difference is that, when extra heartbeats in the upper and lower chambers are the cause of abnormal rhythm, symptoms may feel like an initial skip or hard thumping beat followed by a racing heart. When anxiety is the trigger, heart rate typically increases steadily rather than suddenly.

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What are the warning signs of high cholesterol?

High cholesterol has no symptoms. A blood test is the only way to detect if you have it.

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What are 3 early signs of a heart attack?

Common heart attack symptoms include:
  • Chest pain that may feel like pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing or aching.
  • Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly.
  • Cold sweat.
  • Fatigue.
  • Heartburn or indigestion.
  • Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness.
  • Nausea.

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Can an ECG detect a heart attack?

Wires from the electrodes are connected to the ECG machine, which records the electrical impulses. An ECG is important because: it helps confirm the diagnosis of a heart attack.

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Does your blood pressure go up during a heart attack?

Increase in blood pressure

Blood pressure might rise during a heart attack because hormones, such as adrenaline, are released. These hormones are released when the “fight or flight” response is triggered at times of intense stress or danger. This automatic response might make the heart beat faster and stronger.

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Can a GP diagnose heart disease?

The GP or practice nurse can carry out the blood test. A sample will be taken either using a needle and a syringe or by pricking your finger. The GP will also ask about your lifestyle, how much exercise you do and whether you smoke. All these factors will be considered as part of the diagnosis.

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What does a small heart blockage feel like?

Small vessel disease signs and symptoms include: Chest pain, squeezing or discomfort (angina), which may get worse with activity or emotional stress. Discomfort in the left arm, jaw, neck, back or abdomen along with chest pain. Shortness of breath.

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