subject: Heart Attacks Hit Harder In Women [print this page] Recently the comedienne, actress and talk show host Rosie ODonnell made news when she shared that she had suffered a massive heart attackarterial blockage so severe, its grim nickname is the widowmaker. ODonnell credits an aspirin commercial with saving her life, because the commercial mentioned some symptoms of heart attack and told viewers what to do next, which she did.
ODonnell was lucky; she survived, but shes not alone. Sadly, 435,000 women have a heart attack every year in the U.S. However, many women are not as fortunate as the talk-show host. In fact, 267,000 women die from a heart attack every year, more than six times the number of women who die from breast cancer. Its important to understand how heart attack symptoms differ in women, because their symptoms can be very different from what men experienceyet a heart attack is twice as likely to be fatal when it happens to a woman who is under age 50. It is important to have health insurance in Baltimore to get symptoms checked out right away.
Some post-attack behaviors affect the likelihood of womens survival after a heart attack. Perhaps because they arent aware they are experiencing dangerous symptoms, women are slower than men to either call 911 or seek emergency room treatment when they are suffering a heart attack. At the same time, physicians may take longer to recognize that a heart attack is at the root of the problem because the classic heart attack red flagschest pain and changes in EKG numbersare seen less frequently.
Here are the seven most common symptoms that should be recognized as heart attack symptoms in women, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department:
Pain or discomfort in the chest, such as a sensation of squeezing or pressure
Becoming short of breath
Feelings of nausea
Becoming dizzy or light-headed
Unusual feeling of fatigue
Breaking out in a cold sweat
Unusual pain or discomfort in the upper body, as well as the back, shoulder, in one or both arms, the neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach
The Office on Womens Health says a woman experiencing one or more of these symptoms should call 911 immediately. Health insurance in Baltimore can be a lifesaver as well, allowing policyholders to seek treatment from their physician for covered heart-related and other ailments. A policy can be purchased on a group basis through an employer, or an individual basis for those who are self-employed. To learn more about health insurance, contact a professional insurance agent.
