We had no idea we were having heart attacks – and neither did our doctors
DID you know that women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men?
In fact, women are more likely to die from heart disease than breast cancer, which might come as a surprise to many.
A five-year research project from the European Sudden Cardiac Arrest network found doctors and nurses are slower to provide resuscitation to women, leading to that lower survival rate.
Currently, 77 British women die from a heart attack or cardiac condition every day.
What’s more, coronary heart disease (CHD) is 50 per cent more likely to be wrongly diagnosed in women.
Imperial College London argue 12,000 women in the UK have missed out on vital care when it comes to heart disease in the last two decades, with some dying as a result.
And lots of women have no idea their heart health is at risk, and as a result, are less likely to seek medical attention swiftly.
These two women were completely blindsided when they suffered heart attacks despite being young, fit and healthy…
‘THE NURSE WHO TOOK ME SERIOUSLY SAVED MY LIFE’
JOANNE Royal, 46, an accounts assistant, from Blackpool was 44 when she had a heart attack in October 2020.
She says: “I was walking to work when I had crushing chest pain.
“The doctors at A&E thought it could be anxiety or a panic attack but there was a nurse who had an inkling something wasn’t right and insisted I stay in.
“I was there overnight before I was taken seriously and given an angiogram when it happened again.
“I’d had a heart attack and had a stent fitted to my left anterior descending artery which is known as the widow maker because blockages and issues with it are usually life threatening.
“After the procedure doctors told me I was lucky to be alive.
“I was fit and healthy and I think because of my age and how I looked I wasn’t treated as quickly as a typical heart attack patient.
“I’ve been referred for counselling to help me come to terms with what happened but right now my life is nothing like it used to be.
“I can only work part time as I get so tired.
“There’s a real issue with women and heart attacks not being dealt with seriously.
“I could have died if it wasn’t for the nurse who had an inkling something wasn’t right.”
‘I WASN’T YOUR TYPICAL HEART ATTACK PATIENT’
Children’s nurse Becky Linane, 48, from Eltham is mum to Matthew, 16, Evie Rose, 14 and Zac, 12, and had a heart attack in July 2020.
Despite having a medical background, she says she had no idea she was having a heart attack.
“I was working from home and developed a crushing pain in my chest.
“I knew something was wrong, I got onto all fours to try and relieve the pressure and dialled 999.
“Within 20 minutes paramedics arrived and took me straight to King’s College Hospital in London, 30 minutes after arriving I was diagnosed with SCAD – is a sudden tear in the lining of one of the coronary arteries.
“I was in hospital for a week but I’ve been fortunate enough to have excellent care and follow up care and my heart has healed completely.
“Since my heart attack I’ve had cardiac rehab and have been skiing, swimming, body boarding and I want to do the longest zip wire in Wales next.
“I know I’m fortunate to have recovered so well but it’s still difficult to believe this happened to me.
“I was young, fit, active, not overweight, I don’t smoke, didn’t drink much – I had none of the usual contributory factors for a heart attack.
“I do think medical professionals assume anxiety or a panic attack when women present with chest pain though.
“I wasn’t your ‘typical’ heart attack patient and I honestly don’t think I’d have been diagnosed so quickly at a smaller local hospital.”
Heart attack symptoms in men and women
Heart attack symptoms can include:
- chest pain – a sensation of pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across the chest
- pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is spreading from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm is affected, but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back and tummy (abdomen)
- feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- sweating
- shortness of breath
- feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- an overwhelming sense of anxiety (similar to having a panic attack)
- coughing or wheezing
- Although the chest pain is often severe, some people may only experience minor pain, similar to indigestion.
- While the most common symptom of a heart attack in both men and women is chest pain, women are more likely to experience other symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.