Sex differences in symptom presentation in acute myocardial infarction: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Using the McSweeney Acute and Prodromal Myocardial Infarction Symptom Survey to Predict the Occurrence of Short-Term Coronary Heart Disease Events in Women

“…More thorough adherence to these guidelines is essential to prevent or delay occurrence of an MI and to provide guideline-driven tailored treatment (Mosca et al, 2011). A growing body of research indicates that women are more likely than men to present without chest pain prior to MI (Coventry, Finn, & Bremner, 2011; Khan et al, 2013). Women are more likely to present with unusual fatigue, nausea, neck pain/discomfort, right arm pain/discomfort, jaw pain/discomfort, dizziness, and syncope than men (Coventry et al, 2011; McSweeney et al, 2014).…”

“…A growing body of research indicates that women are more likely than men to present without chest pain prior to MI (Coventry, Finn, & Bremner, 2011; Khan et al, 2013). Women are more likely to present with unusual fatigue, nausea, neck pain/discomfort, right arm pain/discomfort, jaw pain/discomfort, dizziness, and syncope than men (Coventry et al, 2011; McSweeney et al, 2014). Findings from a recent Korean study suggests that these differences are widespread (Hwang, Zerwic, & Jeong, 2011).…”

Preventing and Experiencing Ischemic Heart Disease as a Woman: State of the Science

“…A meta-analysis of 26 studies examining sex differences in IHD symptom presentation reported that women with AMI had lower odds of presenting with chest pain than men (OR 0.63; 95% CI, 0.59–0.68). 229 Instead, women were more likely to present with fatigue, nausea, neck pain, right arm pain, jaw pain, dizziness, and syncope than men. Other differences were that women were older than men at symptom presentation by a mean of 6.58 years (95% CI, 5.42–7.74) and women were more likely to have a history of congestive heart failure than men (RR 1.64; 95% CI, 1.44–1.88).…”

Myocardial Infarction: Sex Differences in Symptoms Reported to Emergency Dispatch

“…Most ambulance dispatch systems are primed to rapidly respond to mention of chest pain as a symptom, but not all MI patients experience chest pain as a symptom. 12 Previous studies have identified that women are less likely to present with chest pain 13,14 and have prolonged prehospital delays. 10,15 Our primary aim was to compare symptoms, in particular chest pain, reported during the emergency telephone call for men and women with MI.…”

“…Numerous studies have examined sex differences in symptom presentation of MI, but most have abstracted data from medical records or interviewed patients after MI. Recent studies 14,23 found that women were less likely than men to experience chest pain. and these conditions have been associated with MI without pain.…”