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Understanding heart attack symptoms in men

Compared to women and people assigned female at birth, men and people assigned male at birth are diagnosed with about twice as many heart attacks.1 Here are some signs and guidelines.

Published: July 25, 2024 |4 minutes to read

Written by: Tim Gower

A hiker sits on a on a wooden bench alone in the woods, grimacing and holding their chest, as if in pain.

Note: If you have questions about your heart health, it’s best to talk with a trained health professional. If your health might be in immediate danger, call 911 immediately in order to get to the nearest emergency room.

There's good reason to worry about heart attacks: This medical emergency can alter the course of a person’s life. Heart attacks can completely change a person’s outlook, and, in the worst cases, they are the number one cause of fatality in the U.S.2

Men and people assigned male at birth are diagnosed with about twice as many heart attacks as those assigned female.3 So, it might be time to talk about cardiovascular disease risk with a health care provider.

In good news, small lifestyle changes can help prevent some heart issues. Education about the symptoms of a heart attack can allow someone to take action immediately. If you suspect for any reason that you or someone else may be having a heart attack, call 911 immediately.

In this article:

Signs of heart attack

A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, occurs when one or more vessels that deliver blood to the heart become blocked. As blood flow to the heart is reduced or cut off altogether, its muscles are deprived of oxygen and can’t work properly.4 This is a medical emergency and requires immediate attention. Recognizing the symptoms can allow someone to seek help sooner.

Heart attack symptoms in men and those assigned male at birth can come on suddenly or may emerge slowly.5 The typical symptoms of a heart attack are the following:

  • Chest discomfort. Pain or a sense of pressure in the chest is one of the most common symptoms of a heart attack. The discomfort may be persistent or come and go.6 Among older adults, men and those assigned male at birth seem to be more likely than women and those assigned female at birth to report chest discomfort as a heart attack symptom.7
  • Discomfort in other parts of the body. The pain associated with a heart attack may also be felt elsewhere — often the jaw, arm or back.
  • Weakness and lightheadedness. A person may also break out in a cold sweat.
  • Shortness of breath. Chest discomfort may be accompanied by shortness of breath, but the person may struggle to catch their breath before chest pain sets in.

Women and those assigned female at birth can experience similar heart attack symptoms as men and those assigned male at birth. But research shows that they are more likely to have less common symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.8 (Learn more about common heart attack symptoms in women.)

Other causes of chest pain

Of course, not all discomfort in the chest is a heart attack — though it’s always a good idea to get that discomfort checked out by a health care professional.

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people seek care at emergency departments (EDs).9 In close to one-third of cases, it’s caused by gastrointestinal reflux disease — also known as heartburn. Muscle injuries are another common cause of chest pain. And while close to one in three cases of chest pain at EDs are related to heart attacks and other heart problems, less often it could be another serious condition.

Some of these include:

  • Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in a lung)
  • Collapsed lung
  • Pericarditis, a swelling and irritation of tissue surrounding the heart
  • Aortic dissection, or a tear in the body’s main artery
  • Pneumonia

Persistent chest pain should be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible.

Why do men have more heart attacks?

It’s complex, but it’s believed that an important factor is that women and people with ovaries produce high levels of the hormone estrogen.10 (This changes during menopause). Estrogen appears to protect the heart in various ways, such as reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol and raising HDL (good) cholesterol.11 Lifestyle choices also affect the disparity. For example, men tend have a higher rate of unhealthy habits like smoking.12

What can help improve heart health?

There are several steps that can help people maintain healthy hearts:

  • Get regular exercise. Aim for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, swimming, bicycling, tennis or gardening. For more vigorous aerobic activity — strenuous enough to make it difficult to talk — aim for 75 minutes a week instead of a combination of the two.13 Strength training with weights can be a good addition, too.
  • Eat a balanced diet.14 Several diets have been scientifically endorsed to lower the risk of heart disease, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, the Mediterranean diet and a vegetarian diet.15
    Some simple rules to a balanced diet:
    • Consume a variety of fruits and vegetables.
    • Choose whole grains over refined grains.
    • For those that eat meat, choose lean cuts. Eat more fish and opt for non-meat sources of protein, such as legumes and nuts.
    • Avoid processed foods, especially those with lots of added salt and sugar.
    • For people that drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Men and those assigned male at birth should limit themselves to two drinks per day.
  • If you smoke, try to quit as soon as possible. And if you are not a smoker, don’t start.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult your health care provider before taking any vitamins or supplements and prior to beginning or changing any health care practices.