Common Heart Attack Symptoms Approximately 35% of heart attacks in women go unnoticed or unreported, partly because women's symptoms can be more subtle than men's. This list offers common female heart attack symptoms. 1 Take these symptoms seriously and don't delay if you experience them! Contact your physician, dial 911 or proceed to the nearest hospital emergency room if your symptoms warrant it. Angina -- This type of chest pain can fluctuate from mild to crippling. Its symptoms include back pain, or deep aching and throbbing in the left or right bicep/forearm. Please click on this link to the Angina Center of Evansville to learn more about angina and Ohio Valley HeartCare's breakthrough new treatment for some angina patients. Breathlessness -- Waking up having difficulty catching your breath. Clammy Perspiration -- A cold sweat unrelated to the temperature. Dizziness -- Unexplained lightheadedness, even blackouts. Edema -- Swelling, typically in the ankles and/or lower legs. Fluttering or rapid heartbeats. Gastric Problems -- Upset stomach or nausea. Heavy Fullness -- This can feel as though there is pressure-like chest pain between the breasts that radiates to the left arm or shoulder. 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Bayer Corporation