11/02/2026
🫀 Myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply to the heart is restricted. Heart attacks usually happen in individuals with coronary heart disease. This can be a life-threatening condition. It is extremely important to recognize the symptoms of heart attack in females as they can often be missed or misdiagnosed. In fact, Harvard Health cite that more females have died from heart disease than males since 1984 in the United States, and that heart disease is a leading cause of females over the age of 65.
There are various symptoms of a heart attack, and individuals can experience different combinations of these symptoms. Typical symptoms include severe chest pain that is described as a feeling of heaviness or pressure on the chest. Pain can also be experienced in the arm or jaw in addition to cold sweats. These symptoms are typically seen in males but can also be experienced by females.
Heart attacks in females can, however, present differently than in males. The symptoms can be more subtle and mistaken for other conditions such as a panic attack. In addition, females are more likely to ignore symptoms and therefore not receive appropriate treatment. Because of this, heart attacks in females are often missed or misdiagnosed, leading to poorer outcomes. Some of these more atypical symptoms seen in females include shortness of breath, nausea, abdominal discomfort, back pain, fatigue, fainting, indigestion and sleep disturbance.
The amount and degree of symptoms can vary from individual to individual. It is important that if you suspect a heart attack, to seek medical attention immediately.
Check out the female heart in Complete Anatomy: http://spkl.io/6182AtVDI
You can also find our cardiac muscle models as well as our informative videos on atherosclerosis and coronary stent insertion in Complete Anatomy to learn more.