What Are the Symptoms of Heart Failure in Women?
Symptoms of heart failure in women include pain in the arms, back, neck or jaw; chest pain; shortness of breath and fatigue, explains WebMD. Stomach pain and a nervous, cold sweat that feels like it is due to stress rather than exercise or heat may signal the possibility of heart failure.
Pain in the upper body parts, such as the jaw, confuses women because they expect pain that is related to a heart attack to be on the left arm or chest, notes WebMD. This pain may be unexpected or gradual, but it worsens with time, and it can wake up a person from sleep. Women who experience upper-body pain with unknown symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.
Women should not confuse extreme abdominal pressure that results in stomach pain with symptoms of heartburn, flu or a stomach ulcer, advises WebMD. In addition to difficulty breathing, women who experience unexpected nausea or lightheadedness may be going into heart failure.
Chest pain, a common symptom of heart failure, is more subtle in women than in men, according to WebMD. The pain can be felt anywhere on the chest. Women who experience chest discomfort along with any other symptom of this problem should consult a doctor.
