Doctor shares case of 36-year-old woman who suffered heart attack following ‘extreme unexplained fatigue’, no chest pain: ‘Eight hours later…’
Published on: Dec. 31, 2025, 6 a.m. | Source: The Indian Express
The case of a 36-year-old woman who suffered a heart attack after dismissing extreme fatigue highlights a dangerous medical phenomenon: atypical myocardial ischemia. Unlike the "classic" crushing chest pain often seen in men, women frequently experience subtle "whisper" symptoms such as unexplained exhaustion, nausea, shallow breathing, and a general sense of unease. Dr. Saumya Sekhar Jenasamant explains that these signs are often misattributed to stress, acidity, or hormonal changes, leading to life-threatening delays in treatment. Younger women are particularly at risk if they have underlying factors like PCOS, autoimmune diseases, high stress, or hyper-coagulability (a tendency for blood to clot), which can be exacerbated by oral contraceptives. To mitigate these risks, experts urge women in their 20s and 30s to prioritize regular health screenings and never ignore sudden, out-of-proportion fatigue, especially when accompanied by discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.
