How do heart attacks differ in women and men?
The following are the general differences between heart attacks in women and men: • The risk factors are different in woman than in men. • Diabetes increases the risk of a heart attack even more in women than it does in men. • Some tests and treatments for heart attacks may not be as effective in women as in men. • The symptoms of a heart attack in women are somewhat unusual compared to those in men. • Sometimes women with heart disease are not taken seriously, and do not receive the appropriate tests and treatment. Too often, heart attacks go unnoticed in women. A woman, her family or her doctor may believe that other insignificant health problems are responsible for her symptoms, or that the symptoms will go away on their own. They may also believe that these are the side effects of a drug. Because of this, women do not always get the healthcare necessary to prevent complications or death from a heart attack. Older women are at a clear disadvantage compared to men. After menopause, t
