By Arindam Sen, CEO & Director, Heartnet India
29 September is celebrated as World Heart Day to raise awareness of cardiovascular diseases and the importance of taking care of your heart. Heart attacks are usually characterised by the symptom of chest pain. Women, however, could feel many other symptoms which may go unnoticed due to their resemblance to acidity, tiredness, stress, and other day-to-day complaints. According to the WHO 2026 Report, it is significant to be able to identify heart attack symptoms, as early diagnosis and immediate medical attention make all the difference.
Heart Attack: Look beyond the chest pain symptoms
The signs of pain and discomfort in the chest remain important.
Apart from the pain or discomfort in the chest, other symptoms include
- trouble breathing
- feeling tired
- nausea or vomiting
- cold sweat
- dizziness, or pain in the jaw, neck, shoulders, back, or abdomen.
However, according to the American Heart Association’s scientific statement of 2026 regarding acute coronary syndromes in premenopausal women, symptoms in women may include
- chest, back, shoulder, neck, and jaw pain
- indigestion
- nausea, and vomiting
- There could also be sweating and dizziness.
Therefore, when there are new symptoms that do not cause chest pain, one should not ignore them.
Why early Detection and recognition matter
A medical diagnosis should be made from the time when the symptoms are first presented. A research study by the American Heart Association that was done in 2026 using 4,267 adults has found out that the female gender has been known to experience cardiovascular issues despite having less coronary plaque than men, especially after menopause. At times, a diagnosis is overlooked due to the different symptoms of CVD in women.
Also, there is Indian evidence about the need for proper treatment in time. One of the multicenter studies in India with participants who had an acute myocardial infarction showed the presence of gender differences in the course and treatment of the disease.
Don’t wait for symptoms to become severe
When signs occur suddenly, are persistent, and/or worrisome, women should seek immediate medical assistance and not take the wait-and-see approach to see whether the situation will get better.
The diagnosis of a heart attack is done through
- clinical assessment
- an ECG test
- blood tests, which may include cardiac troponin.
Moreover, women should monitor their heart health even before they develop symptoms. A study carried out in 2026 on perimenopause and cardiovascular health revealed that women in the process of entering the menopausal period have a high chance of having poor cardiovascular health due to variations in their blood glucose and cholesterol levels.
Technology can strengthen early cardiac evaluation
Better outcomes require more than symptom identification; it requires that cardiac screening becomes more accessible, particularly in small towns and areas where there are many gaps.
Connected cardiac screening and telecardiology will help improve the point of care by making it possible to get the cardiac information analysed by specialists when necessary. At Heartnet India, our emphasis has been on the use of connected cardiac-care technologies in order to help overcome these gaps.
The objective is not to eliminate clinical evaluation; it is to make the evaluation possible at an earlier stage and make it more accessible to the patient.
For women, the first thing is to understand that the heart attack might not be “classical”. Any new or unknown instance of breathlessness, unusual tiredness, nausea, sweating, dizzy spells, or pain in the back, jaw, or upper body should never be overlooked.