Month: February 2025
Heart Attack Symptoms in Men vs. Women
According to the Centers for Disease Control, a heart attack occurs every 40 seconds in the United States: roughly the time it takes to send a text or drink a glass of water. Surprisingly, one in five people don’t feel any symptoms, even as damage occurs.
So, how can you recognize if you’re having a heart attack? While sudden chest pain or left-arm pain is often associated with heart attacks, especially for men, symptoms can vary widely by biological sex. Many women experience different, less recognized signs. Knowing the symptoms specific to your sex can make a life-saving difference.
Heart Attacks: The Basics
While heart attacks can appear sudden or out of the blue, they often occur in people with underlying heart disease: a broad term that covers various conditions impacting heart health. Common types of heart disease include:
- Coronary artery disease
- Arrhythmias
- Congenital heart defects
- Heart valve disease
While congenital heart defects are present from birth, other heart conditions typically develop over time, often due to lifestyle factors. In addition, people with heart disease are more likely to experience a heart attack than those without.
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, stopping circulation and oxygen to heart tissue. The longer the delay in restoring blood flow, the greater the potential damage to the heart muscle. Early treatment is crucial to minimize harm and improve recovery outcomes, which is why it’s so important to understand the symptoms you may experience depending on your sex.
Why Are Women’s Heart Attack Symptoms Different From Men’s?
There are several potential reasons why women might not always experience the same symptoms as men during a heart attack:
- Biological differences
Women often have smaller hearts and blood vessels than men, which affects how heart disease develops. This difference can lead to more blockages in the smaller coronary arteries, resulting in atypical symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue and jaw or back pain rather than the intense chest pain commonly seen in men.
- Hormonal differences
Before menopause, estrogen can provide a protective effect on women’s hearts. After menopause, when estrogen levels decrease, women’s heart disease risk rises sharply. This shift can contribute to the onset of different heart attack symptoms.
Common Heart Attack Symptoms in Women
While chest pain is still the leading symptom of heart attacks in women (as well as men), there are other signs to look for. Recognizing these signs can make a critical difference, leading to faster treatment and potentially saving heart muscle in the process.
Here are some other common women’s heart attack symptoms:
- Sudden dizziness.
- Heartburn-like discomfort that may be mistaken for acid reflux.
- Unusual fatigue without a clear reason.
- Nausea or vomiting, especially when accompanied by other symptoms.
- Pain in the upper body, including one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Men
For men, some of the most common symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Chest pain: This often feels like a sudden pressure, squeezing or tightness in the left or center of the chest.
- Shortness of breath: This symptom is more common in older adults and can occur before or while experiencing chest pain.
- Pain in the upper body: Men often experience discomfort in the arms, jaw, stomach, neck or back during a heart attack.
Become a Leader in Cardiovascular Health
Recognizing the differences in men and women’s heart attack symptoms is essential to acting quickly if you or someone you know experiences signs of a heart attack. If you’re captivated by the cardiovascular system and passionate about helping others prevent and manage heart disease, have you considered a career in medicine?
Whether you aim to become a physician, researcher or another healthcare professional, the University of Florida can help you take the next step. Our online Graduate Certificate in Medical Physiology with a Specialization in Cardiovascular/Renal Physiology is a 12-credit program that offers a comprehensive foundation in five key body systems, with a special focus on areas like hypertension and blood circulation. For a broader skill set, explore our other graduate degrees and certificates tailored to meet your interests and career goals.
All programs are entirely online and ideal for working professionals seeking career advancement while maintaining a balanced work-life schedule. Plus, with competitive tuition and year-round start dates, we’re ready to welcome you whenever you’re ready to begin your next chapter.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353118
https://give.brighamandwomens.org/7-differences-between-men-and-women/
Which Medical Sciences Master’s Degree Program Should I Choose?
Made up of 78 organs, the human body is an incredibly complex biological system. Physiology studies help us understand how all parts of our bodies work, individually and together as interconnected systems, to keep us alive and well.
If you’re fascinated by medical physiology and want to establish or advance a career in the field, start by acquiring the appropriate credentials. Offering online medical sciences master’s degree programs in three physiology concentrations, the University of Florida is here to help you achieve your career aspirations. Each program can elevate your visibility when applying to a professional school or seeking a new position.
Let’s look at these convenient, affordable UF programs and help you discover which one might be the best choice for you.
UF Online Medical Sciences Master’s Degree Programs in Physiology
Master’s Degree in Medical Physiology and Pharmacology
Giving balanced attention to medical physiology and pharmacology, this online medical sciences master’s degree program offers an in-depth exploration of human body systems and how drugs affect them. Whether you’re pursuing career growth in medicine or delving into the field of pharmacology, this degree delivers the critical knowledge and skills you need to excel in both areas.
This UF program is ideal for:
- Students preparing for the MCAT.
- Students working or aspiring to work in medicine, pharmacy or research.
- Professionals working in pharmacy, pharmacology, drug development or biotechnology.
- Current or future educators and teachers.
Program details:
- 30 credits
- Can be completed in as little as two semesters
- No GRE required for admission
Master’s Degree in Medical Physiology and Aging
This first-of its-kind online medical sciences master’s degree program brings together content from UF’s Graduate Certificate in Medical Physiology and master’s degree in innovative aging studies into a curriculum devoted to the biology of aging. Equipped with this degree, you can pursue a variety of careers dedicated to helping older adults.
This UF program is ideal for:
- Students working or aspiring to work in medicine, pharmacy or research careers with an aging emphasis.
- Professionals working in pharmacy, pharmacology, drug development or biotechnology.
- Current or future educators and teachers.
Program details:
- 30 credits
- Can be completed in as little as one year
- No GRE required for admission
Master’s Degree in Medical Anatomy and Physiology
This medical sciences master’s degree program offers a broad range of anatomy and physiology expertise, with electives that empower you to tailor your curriculum to your professional goals and interests. With this degree in hand, you’ll be primed to specialize in a professional area that matters most to you, including many in STEM-associated industries.
This UF program is ideal for:
- Students preparing for the MCAT.
- Students preparing for professional school.
- Students working or aspiring to work in various healthcare careers.
- Current or future educators and teachers.
Program details:
- 30 credits
- Can be completed in as little as one year
- No GRE required for admission
See admission requirements for these programs now.
More Benefits of Earning an Online Medical Sciences Master’s Degree With UF
No matter which of the above programs you choose, you’ll experience these outstanding advantages:
- Learn from faculty consisting of leading researchers, noted academics and MDs.
- Complete your studies on your own schedule from just about anywhere in the world.
- Expand your professional prospects with the opportunity to network with classmates worldwide.
- Earn a career-defining master’s degree while maintaining your professional and personal obligations.
- Receive a prestigious, high-quality education from an institution ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s:
- Best National Universities
- Top Public Schools
- Best Value Schools
- Best Colleges for Veterans
- Most Innovative Schools
Need help deciding which medical sciences master’s degree program is right for you? Reach out and we can help you choose.
Ready to apply? Get started now.
