Did you know that women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men are? Researchers believe that the reason for this is that women do not recognize the symptoms of a heart attack and so they are less like to seek treatment. Heart disease is already the leading cause of death in women over the age of 65, so you should understand and recognize the symptoms of a heart attack so that you can get the medical attention that you need if you are having a heart attack.

A heart attack occurs when there is a blockage in the artery and your heart is no longer getting the oxygen supply that it needs. As a result your heart can become permanently damaged from the loss of oxygen if medical attention is not immediately received.

Both men and women say that the most common symptom of a heart attack is discomfort in the chest area. It feels like pressure or squeezing and pain, but it isn’t always severe and for women it is not the most prominent symptom that they experience. Women are more likely than men to experience the following symptoms of a heart attack:

Pain in the neck, shoulder, upper back or stomach
Shortness of breath
Vomiting or nausea
Sweating
Dizziness
Tiredness

Women are more likely to dismiss the symptoms above and just lie down or go to bed, which is a mistake. They often do not wake up from their rest. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. Do not delay in calling for help because the people who are most like to survive a heart attack are the ones who get to a hospital quickly. Elderly women are even less likely to get help because they do not want to complain about feeling ill and because the symptoms that they experience do not seem like heart attack warning signs.