February is Heart Month in Canada and according to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, many women are unaware of their own risk and vulnerability when it comes to heart health. Here are some of the different forms of heart disease women should know more about.

Coronary Artery Disease
The most common form of heart disease, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is also the leading cause of heart attacks. When you have CAD, arteries become hard and narrow and blood has difficulty reaching the heart.

Angina
This condition results in chest pain or discomfort when the heart does not get enough blood. It feels like pressure or a squeezing pain in the chest, but sometimes can be pain in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back. It may feel similar to indigestion. Angina is not a heart attack, but having angina means you are more apt to have a heart attack.

Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when an artery is severely or completely blocked and the heart does not get the blood it needs for more than 20 minutes.

Heart Failure
When the heart is unable to pump blood through the body as it should or other organs normally supplied with blood from the heart do not get enough blood, heart failure occurs. Other symptoms of heart failure include;

  • Shortness of breath (feeling like you can’t get enough air)
  • Swelling in feet, ankles and legs
  • Extreme fatigue
Heart Arrhythmias
This is when there are changes in heartbeat. Most people have reported feeling dizzy, faint, out of breath or having chest pains. Changes in heartbeat are harmless for most people. As you age, you are more likely to have arrhythmias. Don’t panic if you feel a few flutters or if your heart races once in a while. However, if you have frequent flutters combined with other symptoms like shortness of breath, call 911.

Symptoms in Women
Did you know heart attack symptoms may differ for women? Common symptoms in women include;
  • Chest pain or discomfort – a squeezing feeling or pressure in the chest. It may feel like your undergarments are too tight.
  • Pain can appear in your arm(s), back, neck or jaw, which can be confusing for women who expect pain to be in their chest and left arm, not their back or jaw. Pain can be gradual or sudden and may wake you up. Report these symptoms to your physician.
  • Sometimes women confuse stomach pain with heartburn, the flu, or a stomach ulcer. Other times, women experience severe abdominal pressure. Many women and men have thought they were experiencing heartburn when it was actually a heart attack.
  • Shortness of breath, nausea, or feeling lightheaded – if you have trouble breathing for no reason, you could be having a heart attack, especially if you have other accompanying symptoms.
  • Sweating or breaking out in a nervous, cold sweat – common in women having a heart attack. If you don’t typically sweat, get it checked out.
  • Fatigue – Some women who have heart attacks feel extremely tired, even if they are sitting still. Patients often complain of tiredness in their chest even when doing a simple activity.


If you have one or more of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. Upon arrival at the hospital, be sure to advise the triage nurse you think you are having a heart attack. In an effort to prevent a heart attack, be sure to see your physician annually and include a healthy diet and exercise into your life. For more information, visit heartandstroke.ca.