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- Benjamin, E.J., Blaha, M.J., Chiuve, S.E., Cushman, M., Das, S.R. Deo, R., et al. (2017). Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2017 Update: A Report from the American Heart Association. Circulation; 135:e146-e603.
- American Heart Association. (2016). FACTS – Cardiovascular Disease: Women’s No. 1 Health Threat.
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Make the Call. Don't Miss a Beat.
Call the OWH HELPLINE: 1-800-994-9662
9 a.m. — 6 p.m. ET, Monday — Friday
OWH and the OWH helpline do not see patients and are unable to: diagnose your medical condition; provide treatment; prescribe medication; or refer you to specialists. The OWH helpline is a resource line. The OWH helpline does not provide medical advice.
Please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you are experiencing a medical emergency.Find a Health Center
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Know the symptoms
Learn the 7 most common signs of heart attack in men and women.
Chest pain or discomfort
"I felt like there was a thousand-pound weight on my chest…"
Most heart attacks involve uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center or left side of the chest.
Unusual upper body discomfort
"All of a sudden, there was this sharp pain in my neck and jaw…"
Women are more likely to experience sharp pain in the upper body as a symptom of a heart attack.
Shortness of breath
“No matter what I did, I couldn’t catch my breath…”
Unexplained shortness of breath is one of the leading signs of a heart attack.
Breaking out in a cold sweat
"I kept breaking into cold sweats, and I knew it wasn't menopause..."
Cold sweats or unexplained and excessive sweating can be a sign of a heart attack.
Unusual or unexplained fatigue (tiredness)
"No matter how much I slept, I was still tired and exhausted..."
More than half of women having a heart attack experience unexplained or unusual tiredness or muscle fatigue not related to exercise.
Light-headedness or sudden dizziness
"I felt dizzy and light-headed, like I stood up too fast..."
Unlike in the movies, most heart attacks do not make you pass out right away. Instead, you may suddenly feel dizzy or light-headed.
Nausea (feeling sick to the stomach)
"I couldn't shake this feeling of intense nausea..."
Women are more likely to experience nausea or vomiting as a sign of a heart attack.
A woman suffers a heart attack every 100 seconds in the United States.1 Yet according to an American Heart Association survey, one in every three women said they would not call 911 if they thought they were having a heart attack, and few were aware of the most common heart attack symptoms besides chest pain.2
The Make the Call. Don't Miss a Beat. campaign from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health empowers women and their families to learn the seven most common signs of a heart attack and to call 911 as soon as symptoms arise.
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All material contained on these pages are free of copyright restrictions and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated.
Page last updated: January 30, 2019.
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A federal government website managed by the Office on Women's Health in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20201
1-800-994-9662 • Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET (closed on federal holidays).
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