STUDY: Women may not receive same medical care for heart attacks

Women may not be getting the same medical care when it comes to heart attacks, according to an American Heart Association study published in its journal Circulation.

Chest pain is the main heart attack symptom in both men and women, however Del Sol Medical Center Emergency Dr. Leo Loaiza said women often show additional signs.

“Not only chest tightness, but back pain, jaw pain, neck pain, fatigue,” said Loaiza.

He added that women die more often from heart attacks, and that they wait longer to seek medical attention.

“Come to the ER,” said Loaiza. “We’ll be able to do an EKG, some blood tests, we’ll go through some risk factors, and based on that will be the recommendations. We’ll be able to diagnose if you’re having a heart attack. We’ll be able to give you a referral to see the cardiologist.”

When it comes to medical care, the study reported nearly 30 percent of women who suffered a heart attack sough medical care before hand, and of those women, 53 percent said their doctor did not think the symptoms they showed were heart-related, instead, they were thought to be anxiety or stress.

Women who smoke are at a greater risk for heart attacks, and Loaiza said that increases “when they combine it with oral contraceptive or other type of medications.”