Women, Doctors Downplay Female Heart Pain
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A: After a heart attack, women typically are prescribed 81 to 162 milligrams of daily aspirin, nitroglycerin patches or tablets for future chest pain and these classes of medicines: beta- blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and statins to control cholesterol and heart disease. In women getting angioplasty and stent procedures for blockages, the drug Plavix also is prescribed.
Q: Do women suffering a heart attack have the same symptoms as men?
A: Not always. The most common signs are chest pain, nausea, vomiting and neck, back and jaw pain.
But in women, there are other symptoms: fatigue; shortness of breath that persists, seems severe or different; indigestion; and abdominal discomfort.
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