What's the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest?
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A heart attack occurs when an obstruction in the arteries prevents nutrient-rich blood from reaching the heart. The outcome of this can be fatal, so receiving prompt medical care is pivotal to survival. What’s more, early warning signs may differ for both men and women. In 50 percent of cases, patients experience a stuttering pain that comes and goes.
Someone who is suffering a heart attack can typically expect a sudden central pain in the chest or discomfort in this area that doesn’t go away.
This feeling may feel like pressure, tightness, or squeezing, and may radiate down the left arm, neck, jaw, back or stomach.
The First Coast Cardiovascular Institute (FCCI) explains that half of heart attack patients present with earlier warning signs, however.
These can be mild, and may include a “stuttering chest pain that comes and goes”, explains the health body.
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Other lesser-known signs of a heart attack may include pain in the neck or jaw, shortness of breath or skin clamminess, says the FCCI.
But no two cases are the same, and symptoms may differ for men and women.
Georges Ghafari, chief of cardiovascular medicine at Beaumont Hospital, explained on the health body’s website: “A heart attack does always feel like an elephant sitting on your chest.”
The health expert explained that symptoms of heart attack for women can differ greatly from the traditional warning signs.
In addition to chest pain, women were more likely to experience a sharp pain in between the shoulder blades, he explained.
Alongside this pain, they may experience a shortness of breath or a general feeling of uneasiness that may be difficult to describe.
Symptoms may even be comparable to those of heartburn.
“If your mother, grandmother or another woman in your life has any of these symptoms, get her to an emergency room right away, even if it’s the first time,” added Doctor Ghafari.
“If you feel something is wrong, it very well could be.”
Fortunately, heart attacks are now highly treatable if they’re tackled in a timely manner.
Women are more likely to die from a heart attack due to marked inequalities in treatment, however.
In 2019, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) highlighted significant discrepancies at every stage that led to women being diagnosed with a heart attack.
In fact, data released by the charity found that more than 8,000 women died between 2002 and 2013 in England and Wales, because they did not receive the same standard of care as men.
What’s more, the BHF said women were 50 percent more likely to get the wrong diagnosis than men, putting them in higher peril of death.
Studies show that someone who is wrongly diagnosed initially has a 70 percent greater risk of dying after 30 days, compared to someone who is correctly diagnosed.
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