Each year, according to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 1.5 million Americans suffer a heart attack or myocardial infarction. For nearly a third of them, the attack is fatal. That's why it's so essential for all of us to know the warning signs of a heart attack. Not all of these symptoms will be present in all cases. That s because women often have different signs of a heart attack than men.
Women are more likely to have nausea and pain high in the abdomen.
They also may experience a burning in the chest that they dismiss as indigestion. In women as well as men, the symptoms may subside and then come back. But it's still essential to get immediate medical help if you suspect a heart attack. AHA says clot-dissolving drugs and surgery are most effective when used in the early stages of a heart attack. Why a heart attack happens A heart attack results when blood supply to the heart is cut off or reduced.