The silent sign of a heart attack in women: How to recognize it in time

Studies show that unusual fatigue is a common early sign of a heart attack in women, sometimes appearing a month or more before the event. A study in Circulation found that 70.7% of women who survived a heart attack reported unusual fatigue. Chest pain remains the main symptom during the attack.

Studies show that unusual fatigue is a common early sign of a heart attack in women, sometimes appearing a month or more before the event. A significant study published in the journal Circulation surveyed 515 women who survived a heart attack, and 70.7% of them reported unusual fatigue more than a month before the attack. Additional early symptoms included sleep disturbances (47.8%) and shortness of breath (42.1%). However, during the attack itself, chest pain remains the most common symptom in women as well. Women tend to experience more additional symptoms than men, such as nausea, shortness of breath, or pain between the shoulder blades. The medical recommendation is to call an ambulance immediately if a heart attack is suspected.