Every year, thousands of people suffer from heart attack, but women are often diagnosed later than men.
This delay can have serious consequences for survival, as women’s symptoms tend to be more subtle and harder to recognize.
Women are diagnosed later than men
Studies show that women are, on average, diagnosed with a heart attack later than men.
According to Chief physician at the Department of Cardiology at Herlev-Gentofte Hospital in Denmark and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Copenhagen, Kasper Iversen, this is partly because doctors use the same threshold for the protein troponin in both sexes, even though women naturally have lower levels.
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Troponin tests can be misleading
Troponin levels are measured to detect heart damage.
However, since women and men are assessed using the same reference values, women’s heart attacks may go undetected longer because their troponin levels do not always exceed the threshold.
Symptoms in women can be atypical
While men typically experience chest pressure and pain radiating to the arm or jaw, women may have more vague symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, stomach pain, or vomiting.
These differences make it harder to connect the symptoms to a heart attack.
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Subtle symptoms delay treatment
Because women’s symptoms can resemble less serious conditions, their heart attacks are often overlooked.
This means treatment starts later, reducing their chances of survival.
The reason for the difference remains unclear
Researchers still do not fully understand why symptoms differ between men and women.
Biological and hormonal differences are believed to play a role, but more studies are needed.
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Research has focused mostly on men
Much of the existing research on heart attacks has been conducted on men.
In many international studies, 70–80 percent of participants are male, meaning that key signals and patterns among women may be overlooked.
Consequences of delayed diagnosis
A late diagnosis can cause part of the heart muscle to die because the blocked artery is not reopened in time.
This can lead to reduced pumping capacity, heart rhythm disorders, cardiac arrest, and even death.
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The most dangerous type of heart attack
The most acute type of heart attack is called STEMI, where the artery is completely blocked.
This type requires immediate treatment with balloon angioplasty to restore blood flow to the heart muscle.
Treatment for smaller blockages
In less severe cases, where the artery is only partially blocked, early treatment is still crucial.
Blood-thinning medication and close monitoring can reduce the risk of rhythm disturbances until a balloon angioplasty can be performed.
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When to seek help
If you experience chest pain, pressure in the chest, or pain radiating to the arm or jaw, call your emergency services immediately.
If you have more diffuse symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, or shortness of breath, contact your doctor or the on-call physician.
Typical signs of a heart attack
The most common signs include chest pain or pressure and pain radiating to the left arm or jaw.
Other symptoms can include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, cold sweats, or a general feeling of being unwell.
This article is based on information from Netdoktor.dk.