C. Noel Bairey Merz, M.D., Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Question: What are warning signs of heart disease in women?
Answer: The warning signs for coronary artery disease in women are somewhat different from men. Unlike having a typical Hollywood heart attack, where you might have pain or pressure in your chest, women will have that about half of the time where men will have it two-thirds to three-quarters of the time.
The other half of the time, women will develop what we call atypical symptoms. That might be something like stomach upset, nausea, indigestion, shortness of breath -- even arm, jaw, or neck pressure or pain. So these atypical symptoms should be acted on, and women should seek health care if they are having them.
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