Doctors are raising the alarm about a silent killer that poses a greater threat to Australian women than breast cancer, with symptoms so subtle they are often unrecognizable.
Doctor's Personal Experience
GP Dr. Coleen Wood experienced this firsthand when she suffered a heart attack at her desk while seeing patients and did not even realize it.
"The bizarre thing was I saw several people and the heartburn didn't clear up," Wood said. "Because I wasn't really paying a great deal of attention to it, I just thought it was a nothing situation."
Throughout the day, the pain worsened, traveling to her jaw, and then the cold sweats began. "Consultation finished and I thought, I've got to get myself to hospital," she said. There, the doctor became a heart attack patient.
Expert Insight on Symptoms
Cardiologist Dr. Jithin Sajeev from Knox Private Hospital explained that about 10 to 15 percent of patients present with vague symptoms rather than the classic central crushing chest pain. These subtle signs include chest tightness, pressure or discomfort, unexplained tiredness, shortness of breath, sweating, or gut issues.
"Heart attacks in particular are the second most leading cause of death in women in Australia," Sajeev said. "Therefore, this delay in diagnosis may be part of this sort of problem that promotes poorer outcomes."
Statistics and Warning
According to the Heart Foundation, 19 Australians die every day from heart attacks — that is one every 80 minutes. Another 150 people are taken to hospital each day.
"I was very, very fortunate," Wood said. Now back at work, she is sharing a vital message with Australian women. "It's the fact that it presents so differently in women I think is very significant to get that message out there," she said.
