Revised heart attack definitions which affect women

It is interesting (and sad) that others have similar experiences to relate. But it is heartening that there is some movement now to redress this balance, at least from a cardiac point of view.

The misdiagnoses in A&E are the scary bit. The paramedics on the ambulance crew always err on the safe side I have found, but not always so with the staff in A&E.

When my heart attack was finally diagnosed my troponin levels were still surprisingly low (but maybe not for a woman) and the whole picture was complicated by the fact that I was also in fast AF, but the second A&E in my home town chose to play safe and admitted me - and thank goodness they did.

Until the medical profession start studying the female body as assiduously as they have been studying the male body for centuries we will always have to be our own best advocates and be proactive in seeking help for any symptoms we consider unusual/troubling, not only for ourselves but our DDs and GDs.
the time for change was a very long time ago and countless women have died needlessly so far.

I have experienced this.

For year, I had been experiening chest pain, which had been diagnosed as related to my COPD.

After taking ONE new rheumatoid drug, I had a serious allergic reaction . After hours in A&E, I was shocked to be told I was being admitted to coronary care, I had had a heart attack.

All the scans and were clear; clear arteries, healthy heart etc.
I was asked if I was willing to be part of a BH F funded research programme into investigating why so many women in the West of Scotland were dying from undiagnosed heart attacks.

It took six months of scans and investigations , which eventually diagnosed microvascular angina, formally known as Cardiac syndrome X.
It was called this, because it was extremely difficult to diagnose.
It transpired that the pressure in the micro vessels inside my heart was dangerously high.
Unable to be sedated, I got to see inside my heart, when I had a very invasive angiography. It was fascinating.

If I hadn't had that first heart attack and been part of the research, I would have been dead by know.
I did have a second heart attack, while I was shielding ( scary stuff), but it was mild, due to the amount of medication I was taking.
It was trial and error as there was no definitive treatment for this condition.

A few years later, I became unwell and a bold trainee GP phoned the professor in charge of the research. I was in hospital the next day.

Apparently, his research has changed the way, women with chest pain are diagnosed.
I will be forever grateful to Professor Berry and his team at Glasgow Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Misdiagnosis is common in all fields. During covid I had horrendous chest pain Husband called ambulance. They said not heart attack but took me to hospital anyway. There I was filled full of morphine over night and virtually told not to waste their time. GP sent me back to hospital three days latter. Turned out I had vasculitis and a dissected aorta. Which fortunately hadn’t ruptured

Get hold of the book 'Invisible Women' by Caroline Criado Perez. It's brilliant - and will open your eyes to the ways in which all of life is shaped by data only tested on men...!

I had discomfort around my jaw and felt a bit ropey( I have felt loads worse many times.)
My daughter took me to A&E and I fell asleep waiting for blood results! I was told my treponin levels were very high and rising! Blue light ambulance to different hospital through the night where 4 stents were inserted. I was told I had dodged the bullet.
Symptoms can be totally different for a woman as in my case. If you sense something isn’t right go and get checked.
It was the ropey feeling that was different for me.

Perhaps I should add that I was very well aware that it was not just my period.

About 40 years ago, I went to see my GP because I had really bad haematuria. The GP (male) told me not to worry my pretty little head as it was just my period. I did eventually have it properly investigated and it turned out that I was passing kidney stones. It seems little has changed.

My late mother had a heart attack back in 2009. She had called me said she really felt tired and sickly. No pain really I remember at hospital in A and E she kept weirdly burping and felt sick. She looked pale. Sadly there was no rush to see her - it was seen as indigestion. She died 9 months later of heart failure. It was very sad.

I remember when my daughter was on a postnatal ward as an outpatient, I accompanied her on this occasion to look after the newly born tot. In the next cubicle a woman was getting outraged by the fact that a piece of gauze had been discovered in her birth canal a month after the birth and most importantly that she had complained many times about pain and a discharge but been fobbed off by doctors saying it was normal after giving birth.
She could have got toxic shock.
Why don’t enough doctors listen to women??

That’s all very scary!

I have no personal experiences to add here but am so shocked by all this. Also angered that medical training and practice appears to almost ignore the presence of half the population.

I remember the sad case of a friend’s wife whose heart problems were misdiagnosed as indigestion. She died suddenly at home and was only found when she failed to pick up her child from nursery.
I think it is more recognised now that heart attacks in women can present as pain between the shoulder blades.

I had no pain.
Nausea and then felt couldn't breath after which I remember nothing.
Luckly my husbsnd realised did cpr via 999 until ambulance arrived to take over
He saved my life.
At the hospital I was told I had suffered heart attack and had Covid . (2022)
My hospital stay was 10 days .
I was well taken care of (no visitors allowed).
After numerous tests, I was told that I had no lasting damage and no futher treatment other than asprin and rehab
My heart attack was probably a result of Covid.
My diagnosis was Minoca heart attack , apparently more common in women.

One of the worst aspects is in medication. Medicines are tested on men, predominantly. Thé calculations are made on men’s physiology ( bigger, more muscular, bone density etc). Our meds may be way too strong for us!

It should also be noted that "usual and customary medication dosages" have been developed based on men. Females may need different dosage schedules and amounts.

Luckily for me (mid sixties) I had only been reading on social media the previous day that women’s heart attack symptoms can vary from men’s. Sudden chest pain (not unlike heart burn) which then moved to both sides of my ribs. I still wasn’t convinced it was serious but called 999 and after an ECG was admitted and a moderate attack confirmed. Six months on have made a full recovery and had the most excellent and prompt care from our local fantastic teaching hospital. Trust your instinct if something doesn’t feel right!

IMO many females are medically mysogynyised .. case studies show that..and on BBC 1 earlier today, had an example of a woman who just knew something wasn’t right going on, booked a private GP APPT and was told to go to A&E …VERY ALARMING..

I was misdiagnosed with a heart attack because the pain was on my right arm and not my left. I was told all was fine and nothing to stop me going on holiday to Spain the next week. I then had the same symptoms and went to the hospital in Benidorm and was quickly diagnosed with a heart attack. I had to have 2 stents. Thank goodness I always had travel insurance. I had another a few years later and my daughter had to argue with the hospital staff who again said it wasn't a heart attack because the pain was on the wrong side. I never got much chest pain either. I again had to have another stent. I don't understand why the insisting it was not serious is just can put it down to junior drs following text book diagnosis.

Our son rang on Monday his dear friend had died in his sleep due to his heart. Age 50. He’d had a heart attack ten months ago just went back to work last week and now he’s gone. I think we should all be careful as to any signs we’re not right.

My partner had a heart attack 30 months ago, there was no clutching or keeling over, he just lost all colour in his face, lips were blue and he felt tired and was having an early night, not liking the look of him I called 111, within an hour he was in hospital having been diagnosed with a heart attack, this was followed two weeks later by a triple bypass and valve replacement, so it’s always wise to get advice on symptoms.

Visgir1

I so pleased this has come about, it needs to be out there on banners.
I have worked in Cardiology all my career and it was know that symptoms where different but now wide spread information needs to be shouted out on social media, magazines, papers everywhere.

I have seen Women patients in the Cath Labs who could have been treated earlier if they were aware of what was going on with their body. It wasn't just "Women's" pains and shrugged it off but serious.

I made a complaint to the hospital which had failed to make the proper diagnosis. To be fair to them they recognised their failure and took it very seriously - they put in new training (using my case as an example) and instituted new protocols around cardiac assessment.

So - hats off to them. But it should not have been necessary!

Also men are taken more seriously because of the ‘male reluctance’ story, where men supposedly never go to report health problems so must be ill if they then turn up. This is not by any means borne out by medical research, and as a woman I can safely say that women usually put their own health on hold because of being the main caregiver for the family, and will chivvy their men along to go and see about health probs.

I so pleased this has come about, it needs to be out there on banners.
I have worked in Cardiology all my career and it was know that symptoms where different but now wide spread information needs to be shouted out on social media, magazines, papers everywhere.

I have seen Women patients in the Cath Labs who could have been treated earlier if they were aware of what was going on with their body. It wasn't just "Women's" pains and shrugged it off but serious.

Luckygirl3

It's not great is it?
I have often observed from when I was working in the health service that women's problems are more likely to be diagnosed (?dismissed) as having a psychological cause than with men. It is difficult to know how true this is.

I think that is often very much the case. I know I have often had very real health concerns dismissed over the years - being put down to age, weight or just 'women's troubles', and from talking to friends, I'm by no means alone in that. Even when my husband and I were in a car accident, he was the one taken into A&E in a wheelchair, while I was the one with a broken collarbone!