Atypical Heart Attack Symptoms More Likely in Younger Women, Study Says

Two years ago at 49 years old, Kimberly Perazzoli was leading a normal life, taking care of her parents and eight year-old daughter when things changed. She was tired all the time and fighting constant back pain.

"Never once did I think I was having a heart attack," she said.

Perazzoli eventually called paramedics and said she was having chest pain, even though the pain was in her back and jaw.

"As soon as they hooked me up, the paramedic looked at me and she said you're having a heart attack," Perazzoli explained.

"The classical symptom really involves chest discomfort. However, it's possible to have a heart attack in the absence of chest pain," said Dr. John G. Canto.

Doctors wanted to know if age plays a role in that absence of pain. The study in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association finds younger women under the age of 55 are more likely to have atypical symptoms and are more likely to die.

"Younger women had a higher risk of dying after heart attack compared to similarly aged men, but that difference in mortality markedly declined with increasing age," Canto explained.

Perazzoli did receive life saving treatment in time. Two stents were placed in her heart.

"If you have a family and you have people who depend on you or even a career that you love, you need to take care of you or else you won't be there to take care of anybody else," she said.

Researchers stress that while it's important to know the more subtle signs, chest pain and discomfort are still the primary symptoms of heart attack.

Related Link:

American Heart Association: Warning Signs of a Heart Attack