Top 9 Signs & Symptoms of Heart Attack in Men & Women

Introduction

Roshni has a very old grandmother. One afternoon her grandmother felt very dizzy. She also started feeling restless. Everybody at home thought it was happening due to the grandmother’s heavy lunch. But Roshni quickly understood that this was not a minor problem of indigestion or heartburn; she promptly called the ambulance. After the reports came, Roshni’s speculations were correct. Her grandmother suffered a heart attack, but her grandmother survived due to Roshni’s quickness.

Heart attacks are unpredictable. Sometimes your age, weight, or physical health doesn’t matter. It has been seen that very fit people also have passed due to heart attacks. In such cases, it is crucial to know the symptoms of a heart attack. The heart attack symptoms in men can be different from the heart attack symptoms in women.

Keep reading this blog post to know more about the symptoms of a heart attack.

What is a Heart Attack?

When the flow of blood that goes to the heart is blocked, a heart attack occurs. The blockage in the heart’s arteries is usually due to fats, cholesterol, and other substances. These substances form a plaque in the streets that works as a route to take blood to the heart. Another reason for heart attack can be clots in the arteries due to rupture. This interrupts the blood flow, leading to damage of heart muscles.

One can detect an alleged heart attack if one knows the symptoms and mini heart attack symptoms. Heart attack can be fatal, but if medical attention is given in time, a person can survive a heart attack.

Common Symptoms of Heart Attack

Symptoms of this attack can be different for different people. But here are some of the most common symptoms of heart attack and mini heart attack symptoms.

• Fatigue
• Shortness in breath
• Cold sweat
• Nausea
• Indigestion
• Heartburn
• Abdominal pain
• Pressure
• Feel tightness, pain, squeezing or aching in the chest, arms, neck, or jaw.

Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Men

Apart from these most commonly seen and experienced symptoms of heart attack, there may be some different symptoms of heart attack in men. Following are symptoms of heart attack in men-

• Feeling like ‘an elephant ’ is sitting on your chest
• Upper body pain
• Discomfort in arms left shoulder, jaw, neck, or stomach.
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat

Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women

Apart from these most commonly seen and experienced symptoms of heart attack, there may be some different symptoms of heart attack in women. Following are symptoms of heart attack in women-

• Lightheadedness
• Anxiety
• Sleep disturbances
• Upper back, shoulder, or throat pain
• Unusual fatigue which lasts for some days
• Sudden severe fatigue

It has been seen that when a woman suffers a heart attack, chest pain is not the most common symptom. Still, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and unusual fatigue are the most commonly seen symptoms of heart attack in women.

Symptoms of a Mini Heart Attack

A mini heart attack occurs when the arteries which carry blood to the heart are partially blocked. They are less severe, but it sure is a warning to take good care of your heart. Usually, mini heart attacks are not fatal, but it is crucial to know mini heart attack symptoms.

Following are the mini heart attack symptoms-

• Discomfort, pain, tightness in the chest region
• Discomfort, pain, tingling sensation in the upper body, especially arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
• Shortness in breath
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Burping
• Clammy cold skin
• Dizziness
• Lightheaded ness
• Sweating

Apart from these, upper abdominal pain and extreme fatigue or weakness are seen when a woman has a mini heart attack.

Symptoms vary a Lot

The symptoms of heart attack seen in a person for the first time may be very different from the next time he again gets a heart attack. A lot of times, people don’t even feel a heart attack coming. Sometimes the symptoms are extreme, but the heart attack proves non-fatal. Heart attack and symptoms vary from person to person and time to time. 

What To Do When a Heart Attack Occurs?

The following 3 steps are recommended if a person is feeling or showing symptoms of heart attack-

1. The very first step should be calling emergency medical help. If you are hesitant about your symptoms, still call medical help. If medical help is inaccessible on the phone, then ask someone to drive you to the nearest hospital. 
2. Take nitroglycerin but only if prescribed by the doctor. This while you wait for medical help to arrive.
3. You can also take aspirin if recommended by your doctor. Aspirin can help in keeping your blood from clotting.

Conclusion

Heart attacks can be unpredictable. Therefore it is essential that everybody should know the symptoms of a heart attack. In case one suffers an episode of heart attack, they should know how it feels like. The common symptoms are restlessness, tightness in the chest region, pain in the chest, jaw, neck, shoulder, or arms. Symptoms of a heart attack in men and women also differ. The heart is a vital organ of the body, but people tend to take the least care for it. To lead a long healthy, and happy life, make sure to take good care of your heart by eating healthy food, exercising, and also avoiding frequent intake of junk food. A happy heart is a key to a happy life.