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Women warns how heart attack symptoms can be different for females in viral Twitter thread

Heart attack symptoms can differ for women compared to men. [Photo: Getty]
Heart attack symptoms can differ for women compared to men. [Photo: Getty]

A woman shared her heart attack symptoms on Twitter to spread awareness of how the symptoms can ‘feel different’ for women compared to men.

Taking to the social media platform on Sunday evening, US user @geewheezie detailed her experience.

While chest pain is commonly associated with a heart attack, she explains she felt none.

Despite being a nurse, the woman was not able to identify her heart attack at first, which was not presenting the typical chest pain symptom.

Once she got to the hospital, she was taken in for surgery and spent three nights there.

The Twitter thread quickly went viral, sparking a conversation about symptoms from those who have experienced heart attacks – or know someone who has.

What are the other heart attack symptoms?

According to the NHS website, heart attack symptoms include chest pain; pain in other parts of the body; lightheadedness; sweating; shortness of breath; nausea; anxiety; and coughing and wheezing.

Women – as well as elderly people and diabetes sufferers – commonly experience no chest pain at all.

MedicSpot GP Dr Sufian Ali adds: “Symptoms of a heart attack which are more likely to be experienced by women include indigestion, nausea and vomiting, sudden weakness, fatigue, pain and discomfort between the shoulder blades, and a sense of impending doom.

“It is important for women to understand that these are symptoms of a heart attack even though they may not experience the typical pain in the centre of their chest.

“Heart attack symptoms are not always experienced differently between men and women. It is possible for both men and women to experience symptoms including a crushing pain, pressure or tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, sweating, sudden dizziness or a brief loss of consciousness, pain which spreads to the shoulders, neck, arm or jaw.

“Heart attacks are often associated with a pain in the chest, shortness of breath and cold sweats. However, not everyone will experience these symptoms. In fact, some heart attacks can occur without a person knowing it. This is medically referred to as ‘silent ischaemia’, a lack of oxygen to the heart, sometimes called a ‘silent heart attack’.”

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