While the classic heart attack symptoms (such as severe chest pain) can be experienced by both women and men, women often experience additional symptoms.

"A woman can be experiencing a heart attack and not have chest pain at all," according to Santosh Gill, M.D., Medical Director of the Women's Heart Center at the Rush-Copley Heart Institute. "Symptoms such as feeling fatigued or shortness of breath can be heart attack warnings signs or an actual heart attack."

Classic warning signs of a heart attack include uncomfortable pressure or feeling of fullness in the center of the chest, pain in shoulders, neck or arms, shortness of breath, fainting or nausea.

Additional heart attack warning signs:

• Heaviness in the shoulder, jaw, neck, back, throat or even teeth
• Nausea or dizziness
• Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing
• Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue
• Palpitations, a cold sweat or pale, clammy skin

There are some major risk factors for cardiovascular disease that you can't change such as age, heredity factors and race. The good news is that your risk of coronary disease can be dramatically diminished with a few lifestyle changes and regular visits to your physician.

What are the major factors that increase the risk of heart disease?

• Smoking
• High cholesterol levels
• High blood pressure
• Lack of exercise
• Obesity

"I was lucky in that I didn't have an actual heart attack," Joy said. "I think it's important for women to understand they're at risk and they may not even know it. Thanks to Rush-Copley, I'm still here to educate others."

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Women & Heart Disease
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