Heart attack symptoms

In 2001-2002, I had terrible chest pains while I was pregnant with our youngest child, Abigayle. To make a long story short, I had a major heart problem that was complicated by an aneurisym in my aorta. Five weeks after our Abigayle was born, I was life-watched to a hospital in Denver. I was given a mechanical heart valve which saved my life.

The pain that I went through was comparable to heart attacks. Since then, I have paid close attention to cardiologists both in person and on TV. Plus, our daughter, Leighlyn, is planning on becomeing a cardiologist!

Today, I was watching a news program where a well-known and respected cardiologist was being interviewed. He was asked about the fact that men and women have symptoms different from one another. Some people complain of chest pain that they compare to as an elephant sitting on their chest. Many complain of being breathless.

He said that the "Hollywood" version of a heart attack is that the patient grabs his/her pain-filled chest while experiencing great breathing difficulty. For some people, that is the way heart attacks can be described. However, women usually have varying symptoms from their male counterpart.

Women who are having these attacks often complain of being intensely tired, having great sweating episodes. Many women also have severe pain in their jaws. Some said that they just felt like something wasn't "right".

The doctor commented that he remembers talking to a lady with no symptoms other than she woke up in the night and was soaked with perspiration. She had no pain or any other symptoms. Fortunately, she called the hospital and went to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with having a heart attack.

My advice to you is that if you are going through any of these symptoms, call your local hospital as soon as possible.