Women and heart attacks

In this article we are referring to females assigned at birth but more information about heart health in trans people can be found here.

Signs and symptoms of a heart attack in women 

Heart attack symptoms can vary from person to person but the most common signs of a heart attack are:

• chest pain or discomfort in your chest that comes on suddenly and doesn't go away. It may feel like pressure, tightness or squeezing. The pain or discomfort may spread to one or both of your arms, or may spread to your neck, jaw, back or stomach
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing with or without chest discomfort
• feeling dizzy, light-headed or faint
• feeling sick, indigestion, being sick
• sweating or a cold sweat
• a sudden feeling of anxiety that can feel like a panic attack
• a lot of coughing or wheezing.

You may experience just one or a combination of these symptoms.

Read more about the myth of ‘female’ heart attack symptoms. 

What should I do if I think I'm having a heart attack?

It’s important that you know the warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack and get medical help immediately. Don’t worry about wasting paramedics’ time, a heart attack is a medical emergency and early treatment is vital.

• call 999 for an ambulance
• sit down and stay calm
• chew 300mg aspirin if you have it and you're not allergic
• wait for the ambulance.

Women may be less likely to get medical help and treatment quickly, despite the warning signs. Early treatment is essential to limit the amount of damage to the heart. A heart attack happens when there is a sudden loss of blood flow to a part of the heart muscle.

Learn more about heart attack.

Should I still call 999 or go to hospital if I'm worried about my health?

If you don’t think you are having a heart attack but you need to be seen before you can speak to your doctor, call 111 to be assessed. Don't delay because you think hospitals are too busy.

The NHS will look after you promptly if you are having a heart attack. If you delay, you are more likely to suffer serious heart damage. You are not wasting anyone’s time: it is better to go to hospital and get the help you need, even if that means ruling out a heart attack, than to delay and let your condition get worse. 

Women and heart attack stories

In our podcast series, The Ticker Tapes, journalist Lucy Mangan talks to three women about what it's like to have a heart attack. From mental health to marriage, and sex to spirituality, there is no stone left unturned in these frank, funny and emotional conversations. Listen on Spotify or Apple music.

Do as many women have heart attacks as men?

In the UK women have roughly half the number of heart attacks as men, but it is still a major health problem for women. 

Coronary heart disease, the main cause of heart attacks, kills more than twice as many women as breast cancer in the UK every year, and it was the single biggest killer of women worldwide in 2019. Despite this, it’s often considered a man’s disease. There are more than 800,000 women in the UK living with coronary heart disease. It’s estimated that around half of them have survived a heart attack.

Read more about how the heart attack gender gap costs women’s lives.

How to reduce the risk of having a heart attack

• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• diabetes
• smoking
• being overweight
• not doing enough physical activity.

Further risk factors that affect women include:

• menopause
• pre-eclampsia
• gestational diabetes.

The more risk factors you have, the higher your overall risk. As a woman, your hormones might give you some protection from developing coronary heart disease in your pre-menopause years. But after menopause, your risk rises and continues to rise as you get older.

There is a lot you can do to reduce your risk factors, such as stopping smoking, getting active and losing weight.

• Get tips and advice on healthy living.

We recommend that all women over the age of 40 visit their local GP or nurse for an NHS Health Check to check their cardiovascular risk. This will include having your blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar tested. If you're aged 40–74 and living in England, you can ask for an NHS Health Check. If you live in other parts of the UK you may be able to get a similar check.

Your doctor should invite you to review your risk every five years, but you can also just make an appointment yourself to check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Knowing these numbers and taking action if needed can reduce your risk of developing heart and circulatory problems.  

If you have a family history of heart or circulatory disease, make sure you tell your doctor or nurse. You're considered to have a family history of heart or circulatory disease if:

• your father or brother was under the age of 55 when diagnosed with a heart or circulatory disease; or
• your mother or sister was under the age of 65 when diagnosed with a heart or circulatory disease.

Heart Helpline and other support

• Speak to our cardiac nurses on our Heart Helpline by phone, callback, email or online chat (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
• Speak to others with heart conditions by joining a support group or online community.
• Sign up to our Heart Matters magazine for health information, inspiration and expert support.