Younger women are more likely to die in the event of a heart attack than men of the same age because they often ignore the earliest symptoms, such as pain and dizziness.
In-depth interviews with young women who had been hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) revealed the concerning trend, Yale University reported. Every year over 15,000 women under the age of 55 die from heart disease, making a leading cause of death among this demographic.
The women, who were between the ages of 10 and 55, had a wide variety of symptoms during these crucial early stages of heart attack. The patients in this group often inaccurately assessed their personal risk of heart disease, but external factors such as work and family sometimes influenced their decision to seek medical help. Not all of the patients received timely or complete workups for their symptoms or a formal diagnosis; they were also less likely to receive preventative care.
"Young women with multiple risk factors and a strong family history of cardiac disease should not assume they are too young to have a heart attack," said lead researcher Judith Lichtman, associate professor and chair of the Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology. "Participants in our study said they were concerned about initiating a false alarm in case their symptoms were due to something other than a heart attack. Identifying strategies to empower women to recognize symptoms and seek prompt care without stigma or perceived judgment may be particularly critical for young women at increased risk for heart disease."
The study highlights the need for healthcare providers to educate young women on the early warning signs of heart attack and a change in the way both doctors and patients respond to these symptoms.
The findings were published in a recent edition of the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
