The notion or perception that heart disease is more common in men than women is ill-founded, women are equally prone to heart disease a men especially postmenopausal women (above 45 years of age).

Risk factors for heart disease are the same in women as in men.

Typical crushing/ squeezing chest pain during heart attack occurs in only 50% of patients, others have atypical symptoms like mild heartburn, breathlessness, sudden unusual fatigue, excessive sweating, epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting, jaw pain radiating to both arms and vague symptoms like in men but females usually ignore mild symptoms and attribute them to other illnesses or weakness leading to delay in seeking medical attention and hence delay in diagnosis and treatment.

Dr Muzaffar Zargar

Physician Specialist

J&K Health Services