So far largely unknown Also this can be an indication of a heart attack

Unspecific symptoms of heart attack more common in women

Many people are aware that, among other things, severe chest pain and a massive feeling of constriction in the heart area may indicate a heart attack. Rather less know that jaw pain can be an alarm signal. Especially in women, heart attacks with so-called nonspecific symptoms are noticeable.

Recognize myocardial infarction in good time

According to health experts, around 300,000 people in Germany suffer a heart attack (myocardial infarction) every year. Although many people are hit by a heart attack from "clear sky", often there are already warning symptoms. Quickly detecting a heart attack can be life-saving. But especially in women, the disease is often not recognized. This may also have something to do with the difference between men and men. For example, the heart attack often announces itself with other alarm signals.

Typical symptoms of a heart attack include pain and burning in the chest area. But jaw pain can also be an alarm signal. (Image: Nobilior / fotolia.com)

No man thing

Heart attacks are often regarded as a male affair, but in fact women are not the leading cause of death among women in Germany, but have had heart attacks and strokes since 2002.

"While the rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease continues to decline in men, it decreases less in women and even increases between the ages of 40 and 55, not least because more and more women are smoking," writes the German Heart Foundation on its website.

According to experts, there are also differences in the symptoms of heart attack.

Instead of severe pain a pressure or tightness

Classic signs of a heart attack include severe chest pain, which can radiate to various parts of the body, such as the arms, between the shoulder blades in the back or in the neck.

The experts point out, however, that in women in the chest instead of severe pain more often comes to a pressure or tightness, but at least as serious to be taken.

Also, jaw pain and a severe burning in the chest can be important evidence of an infarction.

Unspecific signs

However, a heart attack can make itself felt with so-called "unspecific signs", which is slightly more common in women than in men, reports the German Heart Foundation.

Non-specific signs include breathlessness, epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting.

"Since such symptoms can also occur with other harmless illnesses, the German Heart Foundation recommends calling the emergency physician whenever these unspecific symptoms occur to an unprecedented extent," the experts write.

"Maybe there is a heart attack behind it." (Ad)