Most of us believe that heart attacks cause shooting chest pain in the patients. Contradicting this belief, scientists from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have claimed that women may experience heart attacks devoid of apparent symptoms like discomfort or chest pain.
The trial incorporated above 1 million individuals. About 42% of women showing no signs of chest pain reached the hospital for treating heart attacks. Around 30% of men encountered a similar scenario. This case was specifically true for women aged below 45, however with growing age, the difference became smaller.
“Contrary to popular belief, a heart attack doesn’t necessarily mean dramatic and excruciating chest pains. Symptoms vary; for some the pain is severe and yet others may feel nothing more than a mild discomfort or heaviness. The most important thing to remember is if you think you’re having a heart attack, call 999,” commented Cathy Ross, BHF Senior Cardiac Nurse.
Though the team found that men suffer from heart attacks more than women, a relatively higher proportion of women died due to the condition. For individuals aged below 65, the difference between mortality rates of men and women seemed to be the highest.
The scientists asserted that women need to be more cautious of an heart attack as they may not encounter chest pain during the episode. Inexperienced medical staff could overlook the effects of heart attack in younger women.
More studies to gauge these gender differences in terms of heart diseases are underway. The report is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.