Doctors flag unusual symptoms of heart attack in women

‘Some will have only neck pain, jaw pain or numbness in the shoulder, others may complain of indigestion or unusual fatigue’

- Nasreen Abdulla

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death for women globally, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of female deaths.

Unusual neck, jaw or shoulder-blade pain and shortness of breath could be symptoms of a heart attack in women. As per UAE experts, heart disease in women continues to be under-recognised, under-diagnosed and under-treated, largely because of the misconception that it primarily affects men.

“Females may not present with typical symptoms of chest pain,” said Dr Naveed Ahmed, head of department of cardiology for Aster Hospitals and Clinics in the UAE. “Some will have only neck pain, jaw pain or numbness in the shoulder or just pain between the shoulder blades. Others may complain of indigestion, palpitations or unusual fatigue.”