Women's Health
Chest Pain & Heart Disease
Chest pain can be a warning sign for many things. It is often linked to a heart attack, especially in men. Women should be just as concerned. Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women in the U.S.
Signs & Symptoms
For Angina
With this, the heart does not get as much blood and oxygen as it needs for a given level of work. This causes pain, discomfort, or a squeezing pressure in the chest. Aching in a tooth, jaw, or neck can also occur. Symptoms usually go away with rest and /or nitroglycerin. Angina attacks may occur with anger, excitement, or exertion, such as walking up a hill.
For a Heart Attack:
• Chest pressure or pain (may spread to the arm, neck, back, tooth, or jaw).
• Feelings of chest tightness, squeezing, or heaviness that last more than a few minutes or go away and come back.
• Chest discomfort with: Shortness of breath; nausea; sweating; fast or uneven pulse; or fainting.
• Unusual chest, abdominal, or stomach pain.
• An uneasy feeling in the chest with: Fluttering or rapid heartbeats; unusual fatigue or weakness; unexplained or extreme anxiety; or severe indigestion that doesn’t go away with an antacid.
• Dizziness; nausea; trouble breathing; jaw or arm pain without chest pain.
{Note: For any of these signs, don’t delay. Call 911 right away!} After your call:
• Chew one 325 mg. aspirin (or 4 baby aspirins), unless you are allergic to aspirin.
• Be sure to tell the EMS driver that you are having chest pain.
For Heart Failure
With this, the heart “fails” to supply the body with enough blood and oxygen for its needs. This develops slowly. It becomes chronic. Symptoms are: Shortness of breath; feeling very tired or weak; swelling in the lower legs, ankles, and feet; dry cough or one with pink, frothy mucus; rapid weight gain; and a fast heartbeat.
Causes
Heart disease is caused by atherosclerosis. This is the buildup of plaque in the inner walls of the arteries. The plaque is made up of blood, platelets, cholesterol, fibrous tissue, and sometimes, calcium. Blood flow to the heart is slowed or blocked. Besides heart disease, chest pain can also be a symptom of:
• Mitral valve prolapse (MVP), a heart valve problem that occurs twice as often in women than in men.
• Bronchitis, pneumonia, lung injuries, etc.
• Heartburn or a hiatal hernia.
• Shingles.
• A pulled muscle or even swallowing too much air.
Treatment
Heart disease needs medical treatment. It is not always easy to know whether or not to seek medical care for chest pain. When in doubt, check it out. Prompt medical treatment for a heart attack or severe lung injury could be life saving.
Questions to Ask
Question
01
Do you have any “Signs & Symptoms–For a Heart Attack” listed on this page?
Call 911
Get medical care without delay. If symptoms are life threatening go to the ER or call 9-1-1. Don’t call 9-1-1 or use the ER if symptoms do not threaten life. Ask your doctor ahead of time where you should go for a problem that needs prompt care, but not emergency care.
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Question
02
Does the chest pain occur in a person who has had a recent operation or illness that has kept her in bed?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
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Question
03
Does the chest pain occur in a person with a history of heart problems or in a person with angina and does it not respond to medicine?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
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Question
04
Do any of these problems occur?
• Chest pain with exertion and the pain goes away with rest.
• Shortness of breath or fatigue when doing normal activities or when lying down.
• Swelling in the legs or ankles. Shoes can feel too tight all of a sudden.
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
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Question
05
Does the chest pain worsen when you take a deep breath or touch your chest or ribs?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
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Question
06
With the chest pain, do you have a fever and/or a cough with green, yellow, or gray sputum?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
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Question
07
Was the chest pain sudden after taking oral birth control pills or using a birth control patch?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
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Question
08
Does chest pain stop with antacids?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
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Question
09
Does belching and/or a burning feeling in the upper abdomen come with the chest pain? Does the chest pain come and go before, with, or after eating and does it worsen when bending over or lying down?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
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Question
10
Do all of these signs of shingles describe the chest pain?
• It’s only on one side of the chest.
• It’s unaffected by breathing.
• A burning feeling and a skin rash are at the pain site.
Call your doctor or health care provider and state the problem. He or she can decide what you should do.
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Self-Care / Prevention
To Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease
• Have regular medical checkups. Get your blood pressure and blood cholesterol checked as often as advised by your doctor. Follow his or her treatment guidelines.
• Don’t smoke. If you smoke, quit. Avoid secondhand smoke.
• Get to or stay at a healthy weight.
• Take all medications, as prescribed.
• If you have diabetes, follow your treatment plan.
• Follow a diet low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. Limit sodium to 2,400 mg per day; 1,500 mg if you are African American, are over the age of 51, or you have diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or heart disease.
• Do regular exercise.
• Limit alcohol to one drink per day.
• Manage stress. Practice relaxation techniques.
For a Pulled Muscle or Minor Injury to the Rib Cage
• Do not strain the muscle or ribs while pain is felt.
• Rest.
• Take an over-the-counter medicine for pain.
For Heartburn or a Diagnosed Hiatal Hernia
• Lose weight if you are overweight.
• Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day instead of 3 large ones.
• Avoid tobacco, alcohol, coffee, spicy foods, citrus juices, peppermint, chocolate, and carbonated drinks.
• Don’t bend over or lie down after eating.
• For heartburn, take antacids after meals and before going to sleep.
• Don’t have food or milk 2 hours before bedtime.
• Do not wear tight clothes, tight belts, or girdles.
• Sleep on a bed with the head raised about 6 inches.
For Anxiety and Hyperventilating
• When you hyperventilate: Open up a small paper bag. Loosely cover your nose and mouth with it. Breathe slowly into the bag. Rebreathe the air in the bag. Do this about 10 times. Set the bag aside. Breathe normally for a couple of minutes.
• Try to breathe slowly. Focus on taking one breath every 5 seconds.
For Inflammation of the Cartilage Where the Ribs Attach to the Breastbone (Costochondritis)
• Take aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium for pain.
For Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP)
• Follow your doctor’s guidelines for self-care.
• Eat healthy foods. Avoid caffeine. Don’t smoke.
• After checking with your doctor, exercise regularly to improve cardiovascular fitness.
• Deal with and control stress and anxiety.
Resources
American Heart Association & Go Red For Women
888.MY.HEART (694.3278)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Download an offline pdf file.
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