A physician named Radha Kachhy has issued a warning about symptoms that tend to appear more frequently in women.
A hospital employee recently shared the frightening account of a female coworker who unexpectedly went into cardiac arrest while on duty.
Before the emergency unfolded, the administrative assistant displayed only one symptom. It seemed ordinary enough that most people would overlook it, yet it is a sign that appears more often in women and is easily dismissed.
The event was described online by an anonymous Reddit user who works in healthcare as a biomedical student.
Reflecting on what happened, the student began by pointing out the unusual symptom involved: “Last week one of our admin staff came to the emergency department after having jaw and neck pain that eventually led to chest pain.”
The student added that the team immediately stepped in to help their colleague.
“She ended up collapsing in front of the triage desk but was revived through CPR,” they wrote. “She is now recovering after surgery to insert stents.”
Medical professionals constantly remind the public about the most typical signs of a heart attack because they require urgent care and can pose a serious threat to life.
Chest pain is usually the clearest indication that something is seriously wrong, often accompanied by sharp discomfort in the left arm and difficulty breathing.
Other common symptoms include pain in the back or stomach, heavy sweating, nausea, dizziness, and a sudden sense of fear or doom.
However, in their post, the biomedical student admitted that even with their knowledge of the field, they “genuinely didn’t know” that “jaw and neck pain is a common warning sign” of a heart attack.
According to Duke Health, this lesser-known symptom remains unfamiliar to many people because it tends to occur more often in women and is far less common in men experiencing cardiac arrest.
The healthcare organisation explains that while men frequently describe the sensation of severe pressure on their chest during a heart attack, women often feel discomfort in less typical areas such as the neck, jaw, or shoulder blades.
Women are also known to experience extreme tiredness before a cardiac event, along with symptoms that feel like indigestion or heartburn.
The timing of these symptoms can also differ from how they appear in men.
Duke Health cardiologist Dr Radha Kachhy previously noted: “If the pain occurs during physical activity, it should be taken seriously. One of my patients said her shoulder hurt every time she walked.
“She assumed it was caused by her purse, but her shoulder continued to ache even when she wasn’t carrying it.”
Dr Kachhy also pointed out that women often downplay or dismiss signs of illness, especially those related to heart attacks.
“I have patients who felt heart attack symptoms and said, ‘Well, I decided to finish the laundry first. When it still didn’t improve, I finally went to the doctor,’” she said.
“Time is muscle. The longer someone waits, the more damage can occur to the heart muscle.”
When asked about the best steps to prevent a heart attack, Dr Kachhy encouraged women to “know their numbers,” referring to blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and body mass index.
“If you know you have risk factors for heart disease, if you smoke, or if you are overweight, making lifestyle changes like eating healthier foods and being more active can reduce that risk,” she added.