LADIES!!!! Don’t ignore those strange symptoms! I’ve seen it happen so many times, and sadly a lot of these women have been early 40’s and late 30’s. Younger women are not immune. In a world surrounded by stress, these cases are becoming more common.

In my time in the Emergency Room, the hardest cases I’ve seen were the women who came in with devastating outcomes at incredibly young ages. I’m talking moms with young children, moms with full-time careers, caregivers, women who were active in their community and the backbone of their families. I’ll never forget my most eye opening patient: the 42 year old corporate mama who I transferred to a Cardiac Cath certified facility for a full-blown STEMI (heart attack). Which leads me to my next point.

I recently had a conversation with someone who was unaware of what a heart attack could look like in a woman. As women, we aren’t taught that these things look different for us.

Some things different we see in women: neck pain, back pain below the shoulder blades, mid back pain that’s stabbing, jaw pain, abdominal pain and nausea, shortness of breath, and I’ve even heard some women report fatigue, weakness, and even COLD SWEATS! I will say out loud and clear: MOST WOMEN DO NOT EXPERIENCE CHEST PAIN, even in a heart attack.

The science doesn’t lie, women present differently and are often ignored for these symptoms. The first question usually asked in a primary assessment is “chance of pregnancy?” Don’t take no for an answer if you are having unusual symptoms not going away with rest. Don’t allow your health to be at the mercy of solely a provider or nurse.

In my experience, women with these symptoms were usually the ones with the worst outcomes. Why? Providers WAIT. They wait for other tests and imaging before going that route. Never underestimate your power in advocating for yourself to your provider or your nurse.

The reality facing middle-aged women is this: heart disease is becoming increasingly more alarming in younger women. Why is this? It’s a combination of environmental factors, genetics, and lifestyle.

The conversation for healthcare and how it shapes our lives can be a complicated one. But one thing remains: we can use the power of knowledge to change health outcomes for ourselves and those we love. Please share this education with your loved ones!

Lichtman, J. H., Leifheit, E. C., Safdar, B., Bao, H., Krumholz, H. M., Lorenze, N. P., Daneshvar, M., Spertus, J. A., & D’Onofrio, G. (2018). Sex differences in the presentation and perception of symptoms among young patients with myocardial infarction. Circulation, 137(8), 781–790. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.117.031650