There are differences in how women and men respond to a heart attack. Women are less likely than men to believe they are having a heart attack and more likely to delay in seeking treatment.
For both women and men, the most common sign of a heart attack is:
Other common signs include:
Women are more likely than men to have these other common signs of a heart attack. Women are also more likely to have less common signs of a heart attack, including:
Signs of a heart attack can happen suddenly or they can develop slowly, over hours, days, or even weeks before a heart attack occurs.
If you have already had a heart attack, your symptoms may not be the same as the other one.
If you think you are having a heart attack, call 911. Minutes matter - don't delay.
Check out the Go Red for Women short film - "Just a Little Heart Attack" - starring Elizabeth Banks.
Guidelines and Resources for Women
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