Tonight- warning signs you don't always hear about. you know they're sicknesses- but they can also signal serious heart problems. 7's Janet Wu shares some potentially life-saving information as we continue our "Women's Health Week."
Chest pain, shortness of breath, numbness - a heart attack can strike at anytime. But for Judy Trieff of Fall River, the classic signs and symptoms of a heart attack weren't so obvious.
Judy Trieff, Heart attack survivor
"I was aware of a discomfort, not a pain, a discomfort, right here at the base of my throat. And it really felt like gas."
That gas-like discomfort signaled a heart attack in the making. It's not your typical symptom. But doctors say women are more likely than men to experience other more misleading signs.
Dr. Claudia Chae, Mass General Hospital
"Nausea, sweating, light headedness - sometimes people will describe more of an epi-gastric, sort of upper abdominal, lower chest discomfort and a pressure sensation that they say feels like indigestion."
The most common heart attack signals are: chest pain that feels sharp or dull, pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck and arms, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest.
Other signals more common in women than in men include: fatigue, nausea, a feeling of indigestion and weakness. If you have any of these signals, call 911 and chew one standard aspirin.
Dr. Claudia Chae
"An aspirin has been shown to improve outcomes when taken in the setting of a heart attack."
Knowing these symptoms could save your life. A recent study by the University of Arkansas found that many women have warning signs of a heart attack long before the attack actually occurs. Their symptoms range from fatigue, sleep disturbance, shortness of breath and indigestion. Other women claim to experience appetite changes, aching arms, frequent headaches and anxiety.
While there's no real explanation why some women experience these different symptoms, doctors say one thing is clear: all women need to know their heart risks, and be able to recognize the signs.
Dr. Claudia Chae
"Smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, a family history of heart disease. Any one of those risk factors alone increase your risk for developing heart disease."
Doctors say it's important to take charge of your health. Make it a point to ask your doctor about the risks you face as a woman and the preventive measures you can take. Sometimes simple changes in diet, exercise and medication can help you live a longer, heart-healthy life.
For more information on the signs and symptoms of a heart attack:
