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What are the signs of a heart attack in men?
How does a heart attack affect men?
What are the symptoms of a heart attack in women?
Nausea or vomiting. Unusual fatigue. Heart attack signs in men vs. women. The American Heart Association says chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack, no matter your sex assigned at birth or your gender identity. But women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) are more likely to experience some of the less-obvious symptoms.
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Symptoms of a heart attack vary. Some people have mild symptoms. Others have severe symptoms. Some people have no symptoms.
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
Get help right away if you think you're having a heart attack. Take these steps:
•Call for emergency medical help. If you think you're having a heart attack, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number. If you don't have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only if there are no other options.
•Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed to you by a health care provider. Take it as instructed while awaiting emergency help.
•Take aspirin, if recommended. Taking aspirin during a heart attack may reduce heart damage by preventing blood clotting.
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Coronary artery disease causes most heart attacks. In coronary artery disease, one or more of the heart (coronary) arteries are blocked. This is usually due to cholesterol-containing deposits called plaques. Plaques can narrow the arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart.
If a plaque breaks open, it can cause a blood clot in the heart.
A heart attack may be caused by a complete or partial blockage of a heart (coronary) artery. One way to classify heart attacks is whether an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) shows some specific changes (ST elevation) that require emergency invasive treatment. Your health care provider may use electrocardiogram (ECG) results to describe these types of heart attacks.
•An acute complete blockage of a medium or large heart artery usually means you've had an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
•A partial blockage often means you've had a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). However, some people with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) have a total blockage.
Not all heart attacks are caused by blocked arteries. Other causes include:
Heart attack risk factors include:
•Age. Men age 45 and older and women age 55 and older are more likely to have a heart attack than are younger men and women.
•Tobacco use. This includes smoking and long-term exposure to secondhand smoke. If you smoke, quit.
•High blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure can damage arteries that lead to the heart. High blood pressure that occurs with other conditions, such as obesity, high cholesterol or diabetes, increases the risk even more.
•High cholesterol or triglycerides. A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) is most likely to narrow arteries. A high level of certain blood fats called triglycerides also increases heart attack risk. Your heart attack risk may drop if levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — the "good" cholesterol — are in the standard range.
•Obesity. Obesity is linked with high blood pressure, diabetes, high levels of triglycerides and bad cholesterol, and low levels of good cholesterol.
Heart attack complications are often due to heart muscle damage. Potential complications of a heart attack include:
•Irregular or atypical heart rhythms (arrhythmias). Heart attack damage can affect how electrical signals move through the heart, causing heartbeat changes. Some may be serious and can be deadly.
•Cardiogenic shock. This rare condition occurs when the heart is suddenly and abruptly unable to pump blood.
•Heart failure. A lot of damage to the heart muscle tissue can make the heart unable to pump blood. Heart failure can be temporary or long-lasting (chronic).
•Inflammation of the saclike tissue surrounding the heart (pericarditis). Sometimes a heart attack triggers a faulty immune system response. This condition may be called Dressler syndrome, postmyocardial infarction syndrome or postcardiac injury syndrome.
•Cardiac arrest. Without warning, the heart stops. A sudden change in the heart's signaling causes sudden cardiac arrest. A heart attack increases the risk of this life-threatening condition. It can lead to death (sudden cardiac death) without immediate treatment.
It's never too late to take steps to prevent a heart attack — even if you've already had one. Here are ways to prevent a heart attack.
•Follow a healthy lifestyle. Don't smoke. Maintain a healthy weight with a heart-healthy diet. Get regular exercise and manage stress.
•Manage other health conditions. Certain conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, can increase the risk of heart attacks. Ask your health care provider how often you need checkups.
•Take medications as directed. Your health care provider may prescribe drugs to protect and improve your heart health.
•Ceramide testing reveals risk of heart attack
•Close-to-home care critical for heart attack survivor
Learn about the common signs of a heart attack in men, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea and cold sweat. Find out when to call 911 and how to prevent heart disease with lifestyle changes and medications.
- Chest Pain. This is the most common symptom of a heart attack in both men and women. Most often, it starts slowly with mild pain or discomfort. A sudden onset of severe symptoms is sometimes called a “Hollywood heart attack,” because of the typical way heart attacks have been portrayed in movies and television.
- Chest Discomfort or Pressure. The pain can be severe, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be a feeling of “fullness,” squeezing, or pressure. It can even be mistaken for heartburn.
- Pain in Other Parts of Your Body. Pain or discomfort sometimes shows up in other areas because they’re not getting enough blood. Usually, it’s an area of the body that’s above the waist, including the upper part of your stomach, your shoulders, one arm (probably the left) or both, your back, neck or jaw, even your teeth.
- Other Symptoms. Shortness of breath, called dyspnea, can happen with or without chest pain and may even be your only symptom. It can happen when you’re being active or not and is probably due to congestion (fluid buildup) in your lungs.
Dec 5, 2022 · Learn the common symptoms of heart attack in men and women, such as chest discomfort, shortness of breath, and nausea. Call 911 if you experience any heart attack warning signs and get lifesaving treatment.
Dec 4, 2023 · Learn how to recognize the unique signs of a heart attack in men, such as chest discomfort, upper body pain, shortness of breath, and cold sweats. Find out the average age of a heart attack in men and the factors that increase their risk.
Dec 5, 2022 · Symptoms vary between men and women. As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain (angina) or discomfort. But women may experience other symptoms that are typically less associated with heart attack, such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
May 15, 2024 · Learn how to recognize the signs of a heart attack, such as chest pain, upper body pain, shortness of breath, anxiety and more. Get immediate medical care if you think you're having a heart attack, even if the symptoms seem mild or vague.
