DANVILLE - Heart attacks can be sudden, but the majority start out slowly. For women in particular, symptoms can present as early as one month prior to an attack.
Heart disease is the leading killer among men and women. Every 34 seconds someone in the United States suffers a heart attack, and one in three women will die from cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association, 452,000 deaths are attributed to coronary heart disease every year.
Research by the National Institutes of Health revealed in a study of 500 women who suffered heart attacks, almost half didn't experience the "typical" symptom of chest pain.
"Though men and women are susceptible to heart attacks, they can experience symptoms differently," said Kimberly Skelding, M.D., interventional cardiologist and director, cardiovascular research, Geisinger Medical Center. "Men usually suffer from the obvious - acute chest pain. Women suffer from symptoms that may mask the true problem."
Men tend to experience symptoms at the on-set of a heart attack, including chest pain and discomfort in the neck, jaw, back or both arms. Men can experience nausea, shortness of breath, sweating and indigestion.
Women can experience symptoms well in advance of a major cardiac event, Skelding said. These symptoms can include feelings of indigestion, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, back pain, nausea and dizziness. Any of these symptoms can present up to six weeks prior to a heart attack, she said.
"Women need to be aware that early warning signs may indicate a blocked artery," said Skelding. "Many women tend to brush off their symptoms because they believe if they don't have chest pain then it's not a heart attack."
Women should discuss these early warning signs with their primary care physician, at which point they should also make their physician aware of any pre-existing risk factors or a family history of heart disease. Heart attack risk factors include heredity, smoking, physical inactivity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, obesity and diabetes.
Although women can experience symptoms up to a month in advance of an impending heart attack, heart attacks can strike without any warning. Symptoms can appear when a woman is at rest or during sleep and may be much worse than before. They may experience dizziness, cold sweats, or extreme weakness at the on-set of an attack.
"If you believe you are having a heart attack, call 911 for emergency assistance," Skelding said. "Time is crucial and often any delay in seeking emergency attention could be life-threatening."