Recognizing and Responding to Symptoms of Acute Coronary Syndromes and Stroke in Women

Studies indicate that women experience less traditional symptoms than men and delay longer in seeking care for acute coronary syndromes. Women ignore symptoms and delay treatment due to lack of awareness of risk, passivity, inaccurate symptom attribution, and barriers to self-care. The purpose of this article is to describe the current knowledge of symptoms of acute coronary syndromes and ischemic stroke in women, appropriate responses to symptoms, and implications for nurses caring for women.