Know the symptoms of heart attack and stroke: 

Sincerely,
Lorita Haueter
Kennewick Wa

My name is Laurel, and I am 57 years old, both the fact that I had a heart attack, and the fact that I am 57 and having to change a life style still seem unreal to me. 

I have worked for the last 15 years at least two jobs and managed to go to post graduate school along the way. Probably best known as a work aholic.  I think that I have been going through menapause for the last 20 years, and so every symptom, like bloating, irritability, hot and cold sweats at night, and a pain down my back under my shoulder blade, fatigue, and dizziness I have just thought for the most part it was menopause. 

However, for the last couple of months I noticed slight indigestion, and a continuous pain in my neck ( I dirve at least 60 miles a day to work so I thought some of this stuff was from that) , dizziness when I get up suddenly, depression, and massive night hot andcold sweats, and my husband said loud snoring.  Well, to make a long story shorter, the day that I had my heart attack December 22nd 2009, and it still seems strange for me to say it, I remember around 10:00am, at work I had experienced this burning sensation in my chest.  Of course I asked for Tums, and I went out to a business  lunch and brought some stronger indigestion pills, because the pain would come and go.  I even called my friend in another state to ask what did acid reflux feel like, and what should I do if it did not go away ( later she told me instead of telling me to take prilosec, she said it crossed her mind that I could be having a heart attack.)

Well anyway, I left the meeting with prilosec, took one, and met my husband to go out to dinner, and then buy last minute gifts for a family we had adopted. While eating at the Olive Garden, I felt fine, out of the cold, in a relaxed atmosphere, the pain in my chest had subsided.  But later, when we went back out in the cold and into a store, my husband told me to go sit in a car because I was holding my chest, and walking slow, it hurt so bad, and I thought cold had got in it, - oh did I feel bad- I could hardly breathe.  And, so I got home felt a little better, got in bed, took some motrin, and later that night I awoke, feeling terrible , the burning in my chest and turned to a weight on it, I got up feeling dizzy, and hobbled to the bathroom, and threw up( that is when I got scarred, I hardly ever have indigestion, burbing, and throwing up, ! I can remember when the last time I did that.) 

 Any way my husband took me to the ER, and when I told the attendant I had a chest pain, they admitted me right away, took and EKG which the first time it did not show anything, and then drew blood which I guess my enzimes were real elevated, and next gave me morphine for pain, then transported me to another hospital, where a cardiologist team was waiting to put a stent in my heart. Well I stayed in the hospital for three days, discharged the 4th day.  And Shera was ready to go back to work, after 7 days.  That is not good, I have had  rash/hives I guess from the meditation, and they have increased my blood pressure medication for now, and I take a stress test tommorrow to see when I can start my post cardiologist rehab.  I have also got my boss to agree for me to do light work from home.  I worry about health care, paying my rent, and the whole nine yards. 

I tell you, I thank God, because I was having a heart attack on and off for at least that day, and the doctor who did the operation has told me twice you are a very lucky woman.

Now, I am trying to slow down, because my stress came from doing to much, worrying about a lot of stuff, and always having the need to validate me by the work I do. Anyway, I am sharing my story because sometimes the obvious does not seem so obvious, and reading this blog allowed me to connect with others and learn more about this disease, it has given me hope, erased a little of the fear about my heart attack.  I will look for another blog that talks about the After Party(smile), and how to live on life terms, and take good care of your body-after all I only have one.  Take care all.

I woke up on father's day of 2009. Felt fine, let the dog out, fed him & was watching a golf tournament on tv with my husband  & eating breakfast before getting ready for church.  I told him I was dizzy & got up to go check my BP.  I was staggering & walked into some furniture.  He helped me to bed, went to get dressed to take me to the hospital, but before he was ready, I started getting very anxouis, scared, my chest hurt.  He called 911 & they had me chew some aspirin.  I was taken to the hospital & after  a slew of test, diagnosed with cerebrial stroke.  The "lady doc" in the ER told me that "most likley, you have an inner ear problem.  Zena in Texas

She was my best friend, 65 years old, my grandmother died of a massive heart attack on yesterday December 21st, 2009.  I was leaving the on post hospital from my ob appointment and I called her because she had my four year old daughter with her. She lived in the country about 25 miles from the nearest hospital and city life. Everyday when she left her job at the daycare she would stop by my house just to say hello. 

So yesterday she stopped by and picked up my daughter. When I called her there was no answer and I called again. She answered but was not herself, she was talking funny??? She said her sugar dropped and she needed some food to eat. I told her by the time I got out where she was I wouldnt get her the food on time. I pick up my sis in law frm work everyday, and it was time to get her. I said grandma u want me to come right now, she said no, get Ash first, then come.  She said she had chicken boiling on the stove. I told her to go to the fridge and no matter whats in there just eat. By the time I got there the ambulance had left, she had called her brother and he called 911. I walked in and asked her how she was feeling she said better. I asked her why she didnt get on the ambulance, she said she was ok. I just dont believe she was in the position to make a decision if she shud go to the hospital, they shud have taken her anyway, she was diabetic, and she was kind of out of it. 

I dont feel like they treated the situation as if it was their grandmother who was sick, who lived 25 miles from the nearest hospital. Would you leave your grandmother like that? She kept saying she was hungry, she was talking to me as if we were having a normal convo. She told me to open her up a can of peas and give them to her. She took two bites, and began to VOMIT. I was told by my uncle that she was VOMITING and SWEATING while the paramedics were there. They left her anyway. Her gown was SOAKED IN SWEAT, and I kept wiping her. She was vomiting badly and sweating like Ive never seen. I called 911 and the dispatcher had the nerve to ask me, "Is she gonna go this time?"  They came and put her on the truck, I can see them through the ambulance folding her limp arms. The ambulance pulled out the house and began driving, but suddenly stopped and the driver got out and began to help the other medic do CPR on my grandma. I can see this through the ambulance. We finally got on the road towards the hospital, we all got there, and the toughest part was finding out she was dead when they stopped that first time to give her CPR. She was my best friend, she raised me, we talked everyday, we did everything together and for eachother. I think of all the things I could have done so that I can be talking to her right now. Her sugar has dropped b4 and normally she knows what to do to get it back up, but this time was different. She was having a heart attack right b4 my eyes and I didnt know it. 

People think a heart attack is sumone clutching their chest and collapsing, but not necessarilly. She did rub her chest while talking to me, but never said she was in any pain. She just kept saying she wanted to lie down. If I had known what I know now, I would have went str4 to her house from my appt rite after calling the medics, so I could have been there when they were there and begged her to get in the ambulance, I know she would have done it for me. That way at least when her heart attack symptoms started she would have been at the hospital already, and they could have monitored her heart closer and knew what was going on. Time, minutes are precious. I wish I had called someone after she hung up with me, or if I didnt have an ob appt, I know I would have been there with her to take her to the ER myself. She was one of the few angels left on earth and now shes gone. Her sis who was 3 years older than her died in August. Neither one of them were sick people, it just happend. My daughter adored her, my son will be here Jan 11th. I miss her so much, Im so sad he wont get to meet the woman who made me the woman I am today. Amesha H.
 

At the age of 39, I was walking in downtown Chicago on January 7, 2006.  A very cold day, but I was bundled up.  My husband and I were walking down to see the windows at Macy’s.  On the way we stopped for a bite to eat at a popular Italian restaurant, just prior to arrival there I began to feel extremely fatigued, but dismissed it as needing a good meal and just to sit down awhile.  In fact after the meal I felt much better and we took off on foot again towards the shopping district. After a few more blocks of walking the feeling began to come back, extreme fatigue, a heaviness in my chest, but no pain.

I sat down a few minutes again and felt better so we continued on, looked at the window displays, and then headed into the store where I began to feel disoriented, light headed, nauseated, then began to sweat profusely.  I started to shed my warm clothes, the room began to spin, my husband got an employee and they got me to where I could lay down.  Again after a few minutes I began to feel better although we hailed a cab and went back to our hotel, and again in the five minute cab ride I began to feel bad again.  Once back at the hotel the feelings persisted, my husband called 911 and the response was quick and before I knew it I was in the back of an ambulance being stabilized and on my way to Northwestern Hospital where they immediately placed me on heart monitors, drew blood, and came back with the words I could not believe I was hearing, you have had a heart attack.

I was in cardiac intensive care for 3 days were they did EKG’s, several echocardiograms, and a angiogram.  I am now on calcium channel blockers, cholesterol medication, and a daily aspirin routine.  I came back to my hometown where I had followed up with a cardiologist for the last three years, I have had to have the medicines increased over the years, have had more testing with no real answers.  I had felt that my cardiologist (a male) just did not take seriously the symptoms I had that day, because they were not the normal symptoms.  I had told my husband that I wished I had a female cardiologist, that just maybe she would understand that women can be different. Although my heart attack that day was mild, I have continued to have increased symptoms over the last three years. 

Then just in this past February, my blood pressure was on the increase, and out of control, my primary doctor sent me to the emergency room, where again I was place on heart monitors, another angiogram was performed, and I met my new cardiologist, a female (only because I learned that the hospital that I was required to go to for my insurance, the male cardiologist did not go).  She listened to my symptoms, said the results from the angiogram showed small vessel disease, she said she heard a clicking sound when she listened to my heart.  She ordered another echocardiogram, where it was discovered that three of mild heart valves are regurgitating, and I have impaired relaxation of my left ventricle.  This all explains, finally, why I feel so fatigued at times, and short of breath.  Please if you learn anything from my story, learn to be persistent, don’t think that the symptoms have to be right out of a text book! 

Thanks for listening. 
Lesa M.

My Mother's Story

My mother started feeling like she could not swallow and it always happened in the evenings.  She had thought it was anxiety.  She put off going to her doctor due to being to busy. She was in the process of adding on to her house and moving my grandmother in with her.  She was only 63.

On October 6, 2005 she took a vacation day from work. She had been a nurse for 30 years at the local hospital.  She met my sister for lunch.  They shopped the afternoon.  She went to the store for my grandmother.  She went to grandmother's house to put everything up and check on her.  She left and went home.  When she got home, she walked outside on the backporch where she had a massive heart attack and died.  My sister heard the dogs barking and went to check.  She found my mother laying on the porch unresponsive.  She called 911 and started CPR on her.  The first responders arrived at the house put a breathing tube in, started an iv, and shocked her.  All of this happening so fast with my sister and four of her five children watching. I made it home when they were putting her in the ambulance.

At the hospital, everyone in shock and disbelief of what was happening.  She had worked there for 30 years.  The emergency room doctor came into the consultation room to tell my sister and myself that my mother had not made it. 

We went back to my house where the kids were waiting.  We had to tell them that she did not make it.  We waited til the next morning to make the trip to my grandmother's house to tell her.
If we had only known that the swallowing, the anxiety feeling, the stress was actually her symptoms of a heart attack, she would not have to busy to go to the doctor.  My grandmother moved in with my sister, she has since passed away.  The children are older and miss their grandmother and I have had my first baby without my mother.  My sister and I, both lost our best friend that day.

Women need to realize their signs and symptoms are different than mens.  This is the number 1 killer of women.  Don't let this happen to you or a loved one.  Many people love and miss my mother and because she thought it was anxiety and stress.

How I lost my mother
Desiree Hembree

This is actually my sister-in-laws story. I am reading this article because her heart attack woke me up and made me realize I need to be more aware of these issues.
      A few weeks ago she came down with "the flu". Weakness and constant vomiting were her only symptoms. After the second day of not being able to keep anything down, my brother took her to their Dr who said, yes it is just a bug, just hang in there it will pass. Same thing on the fifth day.. the seventh day...finally my brother took her to the E.R & demanded they admit her and start an IV at the very least for dehydration. Their Dr NEVER thought there might be something else going on besides a "nasty" bug. The hosp did admit her & run some tests but did not ever for a minute think it was her heart, or do tests for it. Not on purpose anyway. After 5 or so days there, She was given a test that was ordered for someone else. The tech screwed up the order, tested her instead and it just happened the test was for her (actually the other persons) heart and imagine her shock when she was told she had had a heart attack. One artery was totally blocked. Her transfer to a competent hospital was underway within hours. The new Dr ran tests to see if she would need a stint and it turns out she is actually growing a new artery that is bypassing the one that is blocked and she is home, on medication & light duty until she is fully "healed" and the new artery is fully functional.  But in any case she is very lucky that the problem was discovered at all. If we had been better informed it may have been a faster diagnosis.
 

I had my heart attack on April 16, 2008 at the age of 51.  The day before, I left work early and came home to bed; I just felt nauseated and weak.  When I walked out of the bathroom that morning, I could barely make it to the living room where my husband was.  I was experiencing pain radiating down the right side of my jaw and it felt as if my heart was being squeezed.  My husband called 911 and the paramedics took me to a local hospital.  There was no heart catheterization lab there, so I was transferred to another facility.  When the cardiologist performed the catheterization, he nicked my heart and caused me to bleed internally.  While there was no damage to my heart, it took nearly a week for me to get my blood count back up.  I was weak as a kitten and I’m still not quite right yet.  I see a new cardiologist today; I had no confidence in the old one, especially after his nurse told me to just stop taking my blood pressure medication that was making me tired.   Sally in Ohio
 

I am only just 44 and had a heart attack 2 weeks ago.  3 weeks prior to my heart attack I started to have, what I called, attacks.   I did not know what was happening.  These attacks only seemed to happen in the morning.  They happened every few days and then about a week before my heart attack, they happened every day and once at night.  On two occasions my husband had to call for an ambulance.  I was taken to hospital, but by the time I got there, I looked and felt fine.  Just like a plug had been pulled out.  I had an ECG in the hospital and apparently it was fine.  I also had blood taken, and that I believe was fine too.  I was then sent home after being almost convinced, that I was having an anxiety attack.

The way I would describe my symptoms is like have severe indigestion.   My throat felt like it was closing.  I had shortness of breath, painful arms, all the way down to my wrists (both arms), painful chest and upper back.  I actually felt like I was dying.

I had been booked in for a gastroscopy on the Monday (which I never got to have), but before that was told by my GP, that I should try to have a heart stress test first.  Lucky for me there had been a cancellation so on the Thursday (the day I had my heart attack), I went for my stress test.  I was ok during the test however I could not do much at all without being out of breath.  I then went and dressed and waited to see the cardiologist.  Whilst waiting, I started to have another "attack" and called him quickly.  This attack was exactly like all the other ones I had been having.  They immediately put me on the ECG and said I was having a heart attack.  This time I was blocked solid.  I was taken by ambulance again, but this time a surgeon was waiting for me.

I was taken straight into surgery where I had an angiogram done.  I suffered a major heart attack.  I now have a stent in my main artery and am recovering at home after being in hospital for 5 days.

I feel so fortunate to be alive.   Had I been at home, even if there had been someone there, I would have died because I would never have thought I was having a heart attack.  I would have just thought it was an anxiety attack and that it would eventually go away.   Thank you for this great sight where we can share our experiences.

At age 47, I had a massive heart attack.  Several weeks prior to the attack, I had a stiff painful shoulder, was getting massage therapy for it, also felt as if had a severe sinus infection , my teeth , and in and around my mouth were painful and sore.  On a couple of occasions I woke up in the morning to a very  dull but definite pain in the middle of my back which went a away and I attributed to a bad nights sleep.  I never experienced any ches , arm pain or shortness of breath during those weeks.  The night  of the attack I woke up sweating, cold , clammy , nauseated, and a strange pain between my shoulder blades, I initially thought I had food poisoning the nausea was so bad.  The pain then traveled down my arms and across my chest like electrical shocks, I never experienced the crushing chest pain.  After calling 911, they rushed me to the hospital where I had a 99% blockage in the main artery, had a couple of stents put in  thankfully I live in an area where emergency services are great for heart problems, the Doctor said I survived the big one, had we not called 911 would have not survived,   Never hesitate to have anything unusual checked out, had I waited for the massive pain would have been too late.

 Sue E.

I did use hrt for some time, unfortunately I smoked as well, the combination of smoking and hrt is lethal, although genetics played a part in my condition I believe the other was more cause,  needless to say I quit smoking that day and no longer take hrt, at one point my heart dr. suggested I take it and of course a year later studies changed. Thanks for the great website.
 

I had my heart attack on October 29, 2007.  The only symptoms I had before were extreme fatigue and pain between my shoulder blades which I thought was a strained muscle.  That night, I started to get chest pain .  Before long, the pain had spread to my shoulder blades and left arm.  My fingers on my left hand were tingling.  The pain kept getting worse but I still thought it was a muscle or something. I finally told my husband what was going on and he wanted to take me to the E.R. immediately.  I refused because I was in denial about the seriousness of this.  After I passed out in my son's arms and then came around, I agreed to go to the E.R.  Later on I was told that if I had not gone to the hospital, I would have died that night!  The cardiologist put a stent in the next day and I was in CCU for 4 days.  I am now in cardiac rehab and I am getting better and stronger every day.

If any of you have chest pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, or anything out of the ordianry, PLEASE do not ignore it like I did.  The old saying"better safe than sorry" really applies here.  It could be the difference between life and death.    MinniAngel....Indiana
 
 

At the age of 49 ( I had turned 49 the 2nd day of October); on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, 1993; going to work about 6:45 A.M.; I was deathly sick to my stomach. Trying to vomit, sweating profusely; NO CHEST PAIN< NO PAIN PERIOD. My husband, who was driving, told me that he was taking me back home; I had no business driving as sick as I was ( Yes, ladies, I was a truck driver). I remember rolling my head to look at him and told him to take me to the ER. Why, to this day, remains a mystery.
To make a long story short, I was having a heart attack. The doctor on duty at the ER; I feel; saved my life. He told my husband that he had no doubt but I was having an MI. He administered a clot buster shot. The day after Thanksgiving, I had balloon surgery. I had 2 blockages in the right coronary artery.
Girls, have I learned a lot since then.
The studies that said to take an aspirin a day; none had any women in them.
The studies that said vitamin C helped prevent heart attacks; no women.
The studies that said vitamin E helped prevent heart attacks; no women.
In short, no women were in any of the studies; and the fact that heart disease was the #1 killer of women was overlooked.The studies said that the female hormones helped protect women from heart disease; now we know better.
In short; Ladies, listen to your body, you know it better than anyone.
Oh, yes; the day before my MI; I had seen my family doctor for a weird pain in my throat. He said he didn't think it was my heart.
Marcy W
Elkview,WV

---

This is my heart attack story.

At age 48, I was having Sunday lunch with my husband and daughter when it felt as if someone had punched me in the middle of my chest and I broke out in a sweat. I turned to my husband and said "if I didn't know better, I would think I am having a heart attack" my daughter said "mom you don't look right either." BUT I had a cold and thought maybe I had pneumonia. Since the pain was not debilitating and it was just a 'little uncomfortable' I encouraged my daughter and husband to finish lunch while I went to the car and reclined the seat until they arrived. Still thinking it was pneumonia, I went home, changed clothes and tried to rest. The pain, by this time was a little more intense (and several hours had gone by) that I suggested going to urgent care. The physician there did an ekg and suggested calling an ambulance. Again, thinking, the doctor was wrong I suggested that my husband drive me to the ER, because I was sure it was pneumonia and why bother the EMT folks!! By the time I arrived at the ER, the Urgent Care physician had fax'd my ekg and the ER folks were ready for me. They whisked me to through registration, into a gown and in a bed with IVs going before I could even think! As I was explaining that I was sure it was pneumonia, the on call cardiologist walked into the room and explained that I was in the middle of a heart attack and was fortunate to be conscious!

Fortunately, I came through it well and with only minimal muscle damage to my heart. If I had gone on my first instinct and sought help, there would probably not have been any damage. The really sad part about this is that I am a health care worker and knew better!! Also, because I did not lose consciousness and the pain was not as intense as I had heard described, I did not think it could be my heart! I am now much more diligent about seeking medical help. Since the heart attack I was also diagnosed with malignant and invasive breast cancer, but because it was diagnosed and treated early chances are very good that the surgery and radiation treatments are going to be successful. In the meantime, I am having my own tropical storms because of the cancer drugs. We constantly joked about how much we saved in heating costs during the winter and how we can possibly use this for our cookouts this summer!!  We have to have a sense of humor!!
Candy W.

---

A couple of years ago I was feeling "funny"  it went on for about a week when I decided to get my blood pressure checked.  It was 175/110.  I arrived at the Urgent Care and was rushed to ER and told I might have had a heart attack - I hadn't but would have had the issue not be addressed.

Here is a more detailed article on Heart Attacks for women, written by one who had one. 
 

Heart Attack
I've meant to send this to my women friends to warn them that it's true that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing a heart attack...you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. 

Having had a completely unexpected heart attack about 10:30 p.m. with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might've brought it on, it was this past April,'06, about 1-1/2 hours after I'd spent a pleasant 2 hrs. rehearsing with the Note-a-Belles. 

I was sitting all snuggly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, "A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up." A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach, which doesn't do much good, as your esophagus and throat muscles are in spasm and it hurts to swallow. 

This was my initial sensation---the only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m. After that had seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasming), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR). This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws. AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening. We all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of a heart attack happening, haven't we?
I said aloud to myself and the cat, "Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!" I lowered the footrest, dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, "If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else.......but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help. And if I wait any longer, I may not be able to get up in moment." 

I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the paramedics. I guess when one reaches them, your address automatically flashes on a screen, as the operator verified my address immediately and asked my symptoms. I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts, ma'm. 

She said she was sending the paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to unbolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in. No, I didn't take an aspirin, as I'm allergic to it, but I did take a 100 mg magnesium oxide capsule...which bottle I keep handily in reach on the kitchen counter...which is a small detour on my way to the front door...with about a 3/4 glass of water to get it dissolving ASAP into my bloodstream. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels as it dissolves to get them expanded to let blood get through the constriction of the vessels. I then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in...their examination...lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance...or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way. But I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the cardiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me asking questions (probably something like "Have you taken any medications?") but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again...not waking up until the cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed two side-by-side stents to hold open my right coronary artery and now was being taken into the CCU, and looking up at the three anxious faces of Karen, Mark, and Wendy. Since I'd been a patient at St. Jude in 2002 for my TIA treatment, they had my emergency info in their system and had called my kids. I spent two days in CCU and two in general ward, then was discharged. I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St. Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stents. 

Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned firsthand, as a Certified Medical Back-Office Assistant in Internal Medicine Clinics, and as one who has lived through a heart attack due to:

1. Being aware that something very different was happening in my body ...not the usual men's symptoms, but inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last!) MI because they didn't know they were having one, and commonly mistake it as indigestion...take some Maalox or other anti-"heartburn" preparation...and go to bed...hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up....which doesn't happen.

My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to have a "false alarm" visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!

2. Note that I said "Call the Paramedics," Ladies. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! 

Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER. You're a hazard to others on the road, and so is your panicked husband/friend who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road, and so are your kids or friends a hazard as well As sure as I sit here, they will get the attention of a cop who will pull you over for speeding--more wasted time.
Do NOT call your doctor--he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do--principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.

3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count -- I did, and do, too. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high, and/or accompanied by high blood pressure.) MI's are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in there (and, of course, family genetics can be a factor. I qualify for the latter, and the years 2005 and 2006 have been the most stressful of my life since Jack died in 1981.)
 

A serious note about heart attacks: Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line, or even pressure there and under sternum, or "indigestion" symptoms, especially if you haven't eaten in several hours. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack, but heaviness /pressure under the sternum is common.

-Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms, but not necessarily in the women. 60% of people who have heart attacks while they are asleep do not wake up.
-Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. 
 

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