Men are considered the prime victims of heart attack, but women are not far behind. Every year around 300000 known cases of heart attack death in women is reported. The symptoms in women are different than in men and are mostly atypical and mild.

The heart attack symptoms in women include:

• Chest pain, only 30% of the women have chest pain
• Tightness in chest
• Shortness of breath, every second women only experience this
• Racing heart and very fast pulses
• Indigestion, normal medicines will not help, around 42% experience this
• Heartburn
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weakness
• Excessive fatigue, 70% experience this before a heart attack
• Pain in the inner side of the left arm or sometimes of the right arm
• Shoulder, neck, lower jaw and upper back pain
• Anxiety
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Upper abdomen pain
• Profuse sweating
• Sleep disturbances

A woman may experience only a few of the above symptoms. These are highly unpredictable in women. But in contrast to men the symptoms appear earlier and vague. Mild shortness of breath, unusual tiredness or fatigue and sleep disturbances.

Women interpret these symptoms as beginning of some other disease such as flu or anxiety and neglect mostly.

If the woman has diabetes it makes the things more difficult. Testing the risk factors regularly and once in a year a blood test is advisable.

A good lifestyle, right food and enough physical activity is necessary for every woman.