If they feel pain, it may be in the abdomen as opposed to the chest, in the back, or even in the jaw or throat. Many times, they simply feel lousy but are not sure why. Researchers tell us that women experience heart attacks differently than men because they tend to experience them at an older age, have more diabetes and hypertension, and are more likely to be smokers. Not only are a woman's symptoms different from a man's, so too is her response to them, says Dr. Judelson. As women do not generally believe they are susceptible to heart attacks, they will frequently ignore signs of illness, thinking nothing is really wrong.
Women come to a hospital with a heart attack up to one hour later than a man.
When arriving in the emergency room, she is less likely than a man to complain of cardiac symptoms and more likely to attribute her symptoms to something else. This delays and seriously impacts her ability to get appropriate emergency care. That's why if you feel that something is wrong, don't ignore your gut instinct. Seek help as soon as possible instead of waiting to be certain you are really ill. The good news is that when you do receive prompt treatment, as a woman you are likely to respond better to treatment for heart disease than men do.