It is not a benign disease. When a woman has a heart attack, she and her physicians need to work together to do everything possible to ensure as good an outcome as possible, including participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs. All women, but particularly those with a history of heart disease, need to know what a difference adopting healthy heart habits can make. Smoking cessation, reducing dietary fat and a regular exercise program have all been shown to reduce a woman's risk of heart disease. In addition, women need to be aware of the symptoms of heart attack and seek treatment immediately if they notice any change in their health that could be a sign of trouble.
Many women have less 'typical' symptoms.
When having a heart attack, some women experience the same severe chest pain or pressure that men often do. The sensation tends to be very intense and unrelieved by medication. Rather than complaining of chest pain that could radiate to the arms or other areas of the upper body, they may only have feelings of bad indigestion that continue despite medication or burping. Other atypical symptoms include dizziness and shortness of breath. We are early in our understanding of the differences between men and women, age and heart disease, and much research is needed.