Heart Attack and Stroke: Do You Know the Symptoms?
While crushing chest pain is the most recognized heart attack symptom in both men and women, as many as one-third of female heart attack patients never experience any chest pain.
Women’s heart attack symptoms may look different. Every woman should learn the signs of heart attack in females and take them seriously.
Most common heart attack signs in women:
- Chest pain or pressure
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Indigestion
- Sudden pain or discomfort in the back, arm, neck, jaw or stomach
- Sudden lightheadedness or cold sweats
- Sleep disturbances
If you have been experiencing unusual discomfort in your limbs or torso on a continual basis, call your doctor today. If any of these symptoms comes on suddenly, with no identifiable cause, call 911 immediately. Do not wait more than five minutes. Do not attempt to drive yourself for help.
Most common stroke signs in men and women:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body)
- Sudden trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking; dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
With these stroke symptoms, call even if the signs have stopped. If treated within three hours, the long-term disability from some common types of stroke can be reduced or avoided.