Early intervention can make a significant difference in heart attack outcomes. Half of those who suffer cardiac arrest experience a symptom 24 hours before the incident. However, new findings indicate the warning symptoms can be different for women and men.
Sudden cardiac arrest outside a hospital has a ~90% mortality rate. Likewise, approximately half of the individuals who endure cardiac arrest experience at least one telltale symptom before the incident. Recognizing early warning signs can literally save lives.
A recent study highlights that heart-related symptoms might manifest differently in men and women. For medical practitioners, this news was pretty much expected. Men and women have differences in their anatomy and physiology, from the lungs and brain to muscles and joints. Similarly, men and women have differences in their cardiovascular systems. For example, women have smaller hearts and narrower blood vessels.
When it comes to cardiac arrest, both genders experience sweating and seizure-like activity. However, in addition to those symptoms, there can be significant differences in what men and women experience.
Gender-Specific Warning Signs
| Men | Symptom | Women |
| ✅ | Chest Pain | |
| Shortness of Breath | ✅ | |
| ✅ | Nausea and Sweating | ✅ |
| Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, abdomen, or back | ✅ | |
| ✅ | Pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders |
For both patients and medical practitioners, identifying gender-specific symptoms that precede such a critical event has notable implications for the future of public health. If these findings can be used in clinical practice, the research can contribute to improved patient outcomes.
In addition to understanding symptoms, patients should understand the risk factors for heart disease. These include family history, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, lack of physical exercise, and smoking.
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