Women delay getting medical care for heart attacks more so than men. This happens for several reasons:
• They mistakenly think crushing chest pain is the only heart attack symptom
• They falsely believe that only men and very old people have heart attacks
• They are pre-occupied with family responsibilities, can't get childcare or transportation, or don't want to impose their needs on others
• They are depressed, fatalistic about their health, or resigned to suffering
Don't become a heart attack statistic - learn all you can about heart attack warning signs and symptoms. If you are having symptoms, call 911, take an aspirin to prevent further blood clotting, and demand that the emergency room staff take your complaints seriously. Make sure the doctor gives you an EKG and/or blood enzyme test to see if you are having a heart attack.