Why Women's Heart Attacks Are Often Missed—and Deadlier Than Men's

Over 10,000 people in Portugal experience a heart attack each year. Known medically as acute myocardial infarction, the condition often shows different symptoms and outcomes in men and women. New findings highlight how these differences can affect diagnosis and survival rates.

A heart attack typically causes intense chest pain, along with nausea, sweating, and shortness of breath. However, women frequently report less obvious signs, such as back pain or stomach discomfort. These atypical symptoms can lead to delays in treatment, as they are sometimes mistaken for other conditions.

Research shows that atherosclerosis—the build-up of plaque in arteries—accounts for 75% of heart attacks in men. In women, though, this figure drops below half. Instead, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a tear in the artery wall, plays a larger role in female cases. This condition is often overlooked, as doctors may assume blockages are the sole cause.

Risk factors for heart attacks include smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Obesity, lack of exercise, chronic stress, and advancing age also increase the likelihood. Women face a particularly high risk: they are two to three times more likely to die after a heart attack than men.

Experts stress the need for better awareness of heart disease in women. Recognising the full range of symptoms and causes could lead to faster diagnosis and improved survival rates. Without targeted efforts, many cases may continue to go unnoticed or be treated too late.