56% of women on our panel who had experienced a cardiac event said they initially dismissed or delayed seeking help.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States; claiming more women's lives each year than all cancers combined. And yet the image most people carry of a heart attack is a middle-aged man clutching his chest and falling to the floor. Women's cardiac events frequently look nothing like that.
What women's heart attacks actually look like
The Sibyl + Sage panel includes 387 women with a history of cardiac events. The most commonly reported symptoms at the time:
● Extreme and unusual fatigue (reported by 71%)
● Shortness of breath without exertion (64%)
● Nausea or indigestion that wouldn't resolve (58%)
● Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, shoulder, or upper back (52%)
● Dizziness or lightheadedness (48%)
● A sense of 'something is wrong' that they struggled to articulate (44%)
● Chest discomfort such as pressure, tightness, or fullness rather than sharp pain (39%)
Only 23% reported the dramatic crushing chest pain most commonly depicted as the hallmark heart attack symptom.
"I thought I had food poisoning. I felt sick, exhausted, my jaw hurt. I nearly drove home. The cardiologist told me I'd had a significant heart attack. I was 51. -Panel member, 54, Georgia"
Why women delay; and why it costs lives
● 'I didn't want to make a fuss' as reported by 41% of women who delayed seeking care
● 'I didn't think it could be my heart' (38%)
● 'I assumed it would pass' (35%)
● 'I had things to do and people depending on me' (29%)
What every woman should know
● Heart disease is a women's disease. It is not something that happens mainly to men.
● Women's cardiac symptoms are frequently atypical by the clinical standard; which was built for men.
● Extreme unexplained fatigue, jaw or shoulder pain, nausea, and shortness of breath deserve immediate evaluation.
● Know your numbers: blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar; and your personal risk factors.
This article draws on research from the Sibyl + Sage Women's Empowerment Panel; which is a community of over 24,000 women across 22 different countries; sharing their experiences in their own words. To learn more about how we can amplify the voice of women in your research, contact us at voices@sibyl-and-sage.com.