Designed by Megan Schofield
Friday, February 4 is National Wear Red Day.
What’s the difference between a heart attack and a stroke?
- During a heart attack, blood flow to the heart is blocked
- During a stroke, blood flow to the brain is interrupted
Heart attack symptoms in women It’s important to note that women may experience different heart attack symptoms than men.
⚠️ As with men, the most common heart attack symptom in women is chest pain. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms — particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain. | Stroke symptoms in women The acronym BE FAST was created to help people remember the most common stroke symptoms.
⚠️ Sometimes people have a mini stroke (transient ischemic attack), where symptoms resolve in minutes or hours as opposed to being long-lasting. These symptoms must be taken care of right away because a mini stroke is often a precursor to a full stroke. |
The good news? Heart attacks and strokes are preventable. Talk to your healthcare provider about your personal risk, including factors such as:
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Family history of cardiovascular disease
Some ways to reduce your risk are:
- Changing your diet
- Exercising
- Lowering stress
- Medication
If you’re having heart attack or stroke symptoms, don’t wait to see if they go away. Call 911 immediately. The sooner you’re treated, the better your outcome will be.
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- 1https://www.healthywomen.org/u/meganschofield
- 2https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/get-involved/give/wear-red-and-give
- 3https://roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/documents/13727/Infographic-Signs-Symptoms-Heart-Attack-Stroke.pdf
- 4https://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/stroke-symptoms-checklist
- 5https://www.healthywomen.org/your-health/how-mental-health-affects-your-heart
- 6https://www.healthywomen.org/your-health/how-mental-health-affects-your-heart
- 7https://www.healthywomen.org/created-with-support/most-people-who-experience-migraine-are-women-heres-what-you-need-to-know
- 8https://www.healthywomen.org/created-with-support/most-people-who-experience-migraine-are-women-heres-what-you-need-to-know
- 9https://www.healthywomen.org/condition/diabetes-101
- 10https://www.healthywomen.org/condition/fast-facts-cardiovascular-disease
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