Heart Attack Symptoms: Women Vs Men
Women may experience classic symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath as many men do, but they also tend to experience stomach pain, back pain, and other non-classic symptoms.
Because of the subtlety in those symptoms, many women brush off these warning signs and already have heart damage by the time they get to the Emergency Department.
And many women put their families before their own health. But you cant take care of your loved ones if your own health is not where it needs to be.
How Is Heart Rate Regulated
The heart rate is controlled by the complex of the nervous system and humoral regulation . The nervous system influences almost immediately, while hormones take time to synthesize and start affecting.
The nervous systems influence is split between the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system . The first makes the heart go faster when the body supposedly requires it, and vice versa.
What is essential to grasp is that regulatory systems by themselves will never let heart rate reach dangerous values. However, for the situation to become critical, other adverse factors should step in.
The Top Cause Of Death In 2020 In The Us Was Heart Disease
Heart attack deaths in 2020 were just as great in their number. Since February 2020, coronavirus has taken its toll. Actually, it ranked up to the top three causes of death in the US. Nevertheless, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the country. It is then followed by cancer and COVID-19.
Read Also: Benadryl Heart Arrhythmia
Why Didnt I Have Any Warning
The process of atherosclerosis has no symptoms. When a coronary artery narrows and constricts blood flow, other nearby blood vessels that serve the heart sometimes expand to compensate, which may explain why there are no warning signs.
Such a network of expanded nearby blood vessels is called collateral circulation, and it helps protect some people from heart attacks by delivering needed blood to the heart. Collateral circulation can also develop after a heart attack to help the heart muscle recover.
Blood Pressure During A Heart Attack
The American Heart Association states that during a heart attack, the heart muscle will suffer damage due to a lack of oxygen. This can weaken the heart, which can cause blood pressure to drop during or following a heart attack. Low blood pressure can compromise the blood flow to the heart.
Stress during a heart attack can also increase blood pressure. Once treatment has begun, healthcare professionals will monitor blood pressure and stabilize it as needed. Higher blood pressure can increase the oxygen demand of the heart.
Read Also: How Much Can Marijuana Increase A Person’s Heart Rate
What Is A Heart Attack
A heart attack is a frightening experience. If you have experienced a heart attack, or are close with someone who has, you should know this: You are not alone. In fact, tens of thousands of people survive heart attacks and go on to lead productive, enjoyable lives.
As you work toward recovery, the frequently asked questions below can help you better understand what has happened, and how your heart can heal. Knowledge is power. Arming yourself with this information can help you can live a healthier, longer life.
Watch For Subtle Signs Of A Heart Attack
A heart attack might seem like it came out of nowhere. But in many cases, chest pain due to heart disease, known as angina, appears in the days or weeks before a cardiac event.
You may feel a twinge or some pain in the shoulder or chest but think its something else, says Dr. Miller. The symptoms go away. Then later, the pain gets worse, or you feel a little off. Then the heart attack hits. These early signs can be hard to identify.
Read Also: What Is A Dangerously High Heart Rate When Exercising
How Is A Heart Attack Diagnosed
A heart attack is a medical emergency. If youre experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack, call Triple Zero and ask for an ambulance. An ambulance is the safest way to go to hospital and the quickest way to seek treatment. Treatment can start when ambulance staff arrive, saving precious minutes and preventing damage to your heart muscle. Once you get to hospital, your doctor will perform tests to diagnose if youre having a heart attack. These tests will also measure the amount of damage caused to your heart and the best treatment course to take.These tests include:
How Do I Avoid A 2nd Heart Attack
To avoid a recurrence, possibly resulting in death, pay attention right away to treatment and prevention measures, said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, medical director for the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at New York University’s Langone Medical Center. “Really be proactive.”
The right actions can also help you return to regular activities more quickly, set a course for a healthier future, and help lower the risk of a second heart attack.
Recommended Reading: Can Flonase Cause Heart Palpitations
Widowmaker Heart Attack Survival Statistics Point To A 12% Survival Rate
One of the most horrifying heart attacks is the widowmaker. For those of you who dont know what that isits a heart attack caused by a blockage in the main artery, which comes down the front of the heart. Based on widowmaker heart attack statistics, if one experiences this kind of heart attack outside of the hospital, their survival rate is only 12%.
High And Low Heart Rate Notifications
If your heart rate remains above or below a chosen beats per minute while you appear to have been inactive for a period of 10 minutes, your Apple Watch can notify you. These notifications are available only on Apple Watch Series 1 or later for ages 13 and up.
You can turn on heart rate notifications when you first open the Heart Rate app on your Apple Watch, or at any time later from your iPhone:
Learn from the American Heart Association about what can cause a high heart rate or a low heart rate.
Recommended Reading: Does Tylenol Increase Heart Rate
What Are The Different Medical Terms For A Heart Attack
Acute coronary syndrome : An umbrella term for situations where the blood supplied to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked. Learn more about ACS.
STEMI: A common name for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, a type of heart attack caused by a complete blockage in a coronary artery.
NSTEMI: A non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction, a type of heart attack in which an artery is partially blocked and severely reduces blood flow.
Myocardial infarction : The damaging or death of an area of the heart muscle resulting from a blocked blood supply to that area. Its also the medical term for a heart attack.
Coronary thrombosis: Formation of a clot in one of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. Also called coronary occlusion.
Coronary occlusion: An obstruction of a coronary artery that hinders blood flow to some part of the heart muscle. Coronary occlusion is a cause of heart attack.
Your Heart Rate Isnt Always Predictable
How this cardiac event affects the heart rate isnt always predictable.
Certain medications may slow your heart rate
For example, if youre on a medication that slows your heart rate, such as a beta-blocker for heart disease, your heart rate may remain slow during a heart attack. Or if you have a type of heart rhythm disturbance called bradycardia, in which your heart rate is perpetually slower than normal, a heart attack may do nothing to increase the rate.
There are certain types of heart attacks that can lead to an abnormal slowing of the heart rate because they affect the electrical tissue cells of the heart.
Tachycardia may speed your heart rate
On the other hand, if you have tachycardia, in which your heart always or frequently beats abnormally fast, then that pattern could continue during a heart attack. Or, certain types of heart attacks can cause the heart rate to increase.
Finally, if you have some other condition thats causing your heart to beat fast, such as sepsis or infection, then it could be causing the stress on your heart rather than being a result of the blockage to blood flow.
Many people live with tachycardia and have no other symptoms or complications. However, if you consistently have a rapid resting heart rate, you should absolutely have your cardiovascular health evaluated.
- lightheadedness
- a vague sense of impending doom
If you think you or a loved one may be having a heart attack, call 911 immediately.
Recommended Reading: Does Benadryl Lower Heart Rate
What Is Your Pulse
When your heart beats it pushes blood around your body. This heart beat can be felt as your ‘pulse’ on your wrist or neck.
Your pulse is measured by counting the number of times your heart beats in one minute. For example, if your heart contracts 72 times in one minute, your pulse would be 72 beats per minute . This is also called your heart rate.
A normal pulse beats in a steady, regular rhythm. However, in some people this rhythm is uneven, or ‘jumps about’. This is known as an irregular pulse.
Can A Heart Attack Feel Like The Flu
Even though heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States, women often chalk up the symptoms to less life-threatening conditions like acid reflux, the flu or normal aging.They do this because they are scared and because they put their families first, Goldberg said. There are still many women who are shocked that they could be having a heart attack.
Don’t Miss: Can Flonase Cause Heart Palpitations
Treatment Of Heart Attack
The procedures to treat heart attack may be surgical or non-surgical.
Some common procedures are-
- Angioplasty: Using a balloon to open a blocked artery
- Stent: Keep the artery open by inserting a wire mesh tube
- Heart valve surgery: Restoration of leaking valves to help to pump of the heart
- Pacemaker: A small device is implanted to maintain a regular flow of impulses
- Heart transplant: Complete replacement of heart in severe cases of permanent tissue damage
How Is A Heart Attack Treated
According to the British Heart Foundation , many people need to have emergency treatment to restore the blood flow.
This may include:
- Coronary angioplasty re-opens the blocked coronary artery by inserting one or more stents. This helps keep the narrowed artery open.
- Thrombolysis involves giving you clot-busting medicine to dissolve the blood clot that’s blocking the coronary artery.
- Coronary bypass surgery helps to restore normal blood flow by using a blood vessel from your leg, arm or chest in your heart to bypass the blocked artery.
“You might not have these treatments if your doctor decides it’s not safe or necessary,” the BHF adds.
Don’t Miss: Can Flonase Cause Heart Palpitations
What Is A Normal Heart Rate
A normal heart rate, when you’re not being active, is between 60 100 beats per minute. This is called your resting heart rate. If you’ve been active, you’ll need to wait at least five minutes before taking your pulse.
When you’re active, your heart beats faster to get more oxygen to your working muscles. The harder your body is working, the faster your heart will beat. For example, your heart rate when you’re sprinting will be much faster than your heart rate when you’re walking. If you’re exercising hard it’s normal for your heart rate to get up to 160 beats per minute or more.
There are other things that can make your heart beat faster, like caffeine, nicotine, recreational drugs and some kinds of medications. Your heart will also beat faster when you feel strong emotions, like anxiety or fear.
Athletes or people who are very fit may have resting heart beats of less than 60 bpm.
Shortness Of Breath Nausea And Lightheadedness
Shortness of breath can occur with or without a chest pain during a heart attack. Most people dont realize this can happen before or after a heart attack as wellespecially for women..
Research has found that shortness of breath is the third most reported symptom before a heart attack among women and the top symptom during a heart attack.
You May Like: Can Ibs Cause Heart Palpitations
What Is The Best Way To Measure Heart Rate And Pulse
Pulse and heart rate can easily be measured using your tactile senses. However, what you really need is a constant 24/7 measuring and corresponding comprehensive analysis of gathered data, which will help you make patterns of your pulse values and define the normals.
You will need both the heart rate and pulse monitor for this feat here and a free heart rate app. The health-tracking app we just recommended here is Welltory, well-renowned for its overall quality and sophisticated algorithms, which nonetheless culminates into the ultimate user-friendliness. Of course, the heart rate and pulse monitor can be nothing else but your usual smartwatch or phone, which will be collecting cardiovascular data via the novel method of .
What Is Tachycardia And Its Causes
Tachycardia is an umbrella term defining every heart rate that exceeds the normal resting rate.
You can experience tachycardia when being a totally healthy person, for example, during exercise. Tachycardia can also be considered a normal state during an infection or fever. When body temperature increases, more oxygen is consumed, and the need for oxygen directly leads us to an increased heart rate to supply it. Thus, tachycardia is a helpful tool in maintaining homeostasis.
However, what causes tachycardia can also be a cause of other cardiovascular illnesses. The pathology can also cause tachycardia in the regulating systems, like pheochromocytoma and anxiety disorder . Persistent idiopathic tachycardia can be a sign of tissue oxygen starvation. Complex tachycardia leads to fainting and rapid blood flow, which damages vessels endothelium and causes thrombosis.
Also Check: Does Benadryl Lower Heart Rate
Know Your Numbers: Maximum And Target Heart Rate By Age
This table shows target heart rate zones for different ages. Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age.3
In the age category closest to yours, read across to find your target heart rates. Target heart rate during moderate intensity activities is about 50-70% of maximum heart rate, while during vigorous physical activity its about 70-85% of maximum.
The figures are averages, so use them as a general guide.
How To Take Your Pulse
Although you may be able to feel your blood pumping in a number of placesyour neck, the inside of your elbow, and even the top of your footyour wrist is probably the most convenient and reliable place to get a good pulse.
Press your index and middle fingers together on your wrist, below the fat pad of your thumb. Feel around lightly until you detect throbbing. If you press too hard you may suppress the pulse. You can probably get a pretty accurate reading by counting the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiplying that number by four.
The best time to get your resting heart rate is first thing in the morning, even before you get out of bed. To gauge your maximum heart rate, take your pulse immediately after exercising as vigorously as possible.
Also Check: Ibs Heart Palpitations
What Is The Survival Rate
A massive heart attack is one of the leading causes of death. The survival rate is low. To significantly improve the patients recovery from a heart attack, it is important for the patient to receive timely and appropriate care. Time is of utmost important when dealing with a massive heart attack. It is a must to know the early signs and symptoms of heart attack.
Survival Rates : Death rate is high as 40 50 % in patients even with treatment
Reference : Hursts the Heart and Braunwald
If you feel like something is not right, you need to see your doctor right away to closely and professionally monitor your condition. After a heart attack, some people can live for many years provided they strictly adhere to their doctors prescription.
Lifestyle and diet modification also plays a very important role in the patients recovery. The patients survival rate is determined by the following factors:
- Extent of damage
- Patients pre-existing medical condition
Why is it important to consult your doctor?
If you notice something painful in your chest and other parts of the body where delicate organs are situated, you need to immediately consult your doctor. Any types of pain, especially chest pain should not be taken lightly.
Pain is your bodys way of telling you that something is not right and that you need to take the necessary action. Chest pain could indicate a life-threatening condition considering that there are sensitive and vital organs in the chest.
How Do I Recover From A Heart Attack
To recover, it’s important to partake in cardiac rehabilitation, an outpatient program that uses medically supervised exercise usually an average of three times per week for three months. It also includes nutrition counseling and risk management to help you maintain a healthy weight or quit smoking.
One study found that cardiac rehab helped reduce chances of a repeat heart attack by 47 percent. Another found patients who participated in cardiac rehab were 42 percent less likely to die within an average of eight years.
Research has found that any physical activity after a heart attack can be helpful, but the goal should be regular physical activity. A healthy diet that limits sugar, saturated fat and sodium also is important, Goldberg said.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fruits and vegetables and little red meat. The DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, also incorporates a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes, low-fat dairy products and non-tropical oils.
Another important element of recovery is finding a support system, Goldberg said. Isolation can be a marker for a recurrent heart attack and death.
Rely on family, friends or your house of worship for emotional support. Reach out to support networks or seek professional help. One study found returning to work also can help combat post-heart attack depression.
Don’t Miss: How To Find Thrz