HEART attacks can happen to anyone. Lately, it is getting common among middle-aged women.

Women’s risk for heart disease starts around age 55, when the heart-protective effects of estrogen decline due to menopause.

But according to Cleveland Clinic.com, even young women with abdominal obesity and diabetes are at  risk. The fat that collects  in the abdomen that gives an apple or pear shape, produces proteins called cytokines, which travel to the liver, triggering the formation of C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation throughout the body, including  arteries. It’s because calories easily build up with less exercise.

When a woman starts to experience low estrogen, when levels drop after menopause, fat gets directed to women’s tummies instead of their hips, thighs and buttocks.

Based on studies, symptoms of heart attack show  up weeks before a major strike. Acute chest pressure and tightness are still the most common symptoms signaling a complete blockage to one or more of the heart’s arteries.

Compared to men, women tend to have more atypical symptoms of coronary artery disease or heart attack and this includes excessive fatigue, shortness of breath while walking or climbing stairs, nausea, indigestion and back pain.

These are the initial symptoms before a full-blown attack. Cleveland Clinic cautions women to be alert on angina symptoms. This occurs when blood flow is partially restricted to the heart and can cause chest pressure and shortness of breath with physical exertion.

Most women ignore these signs thinking it is caused by menopause, stress or being out of shape. Consult your physician when you start feeling these symptoms.