Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, but many people are not aware that the symptoms of a heart attack can differ between the two genders. While chest pain is a common symptom for both men and women, women are more likely to experience other, subtler symptoms that can be easily overlooked or attributed to other causes. In this article, we will discuss the different symptoms of a heart attack for women and why it's important to pay close attention to these signs.
One of the primary reasons that women experience different symptoms of a heart attack is because their bodies react differently to stress and disease than men's bodies do. For example, women are more likely to experience nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain as symptoms of a heart attack, which are not typically associated with a heart attack in men. Women may also experience pain or discomfort in the neck, jaw, shoulder, back, or arm, which can be mistaken for musculoskeletal pain or other non-cardiac issues.
Other symptoms that women may experience during a heart attack include shortness of breath, dizziness, lightheadedness, sweating, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. These symptoms can be easily attributed to other causes, such as anxiety, stress, or a lack of sleep, which is why it's so important for women to pay close attention to their bodies and seek medical attention if they experience any unusual or persistent symptoms.
Unfortunately, many women do not recognize the symptoms of a heart attack or delay seeking medical attention because they are not aware of the differences in symptoms between men and women. Additionally, women may be more likely to dismiss their symptoms or downplay their severity, which can be dangerous and even deadly.
To reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack in women, it's important to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a balanced diet, stress management, and avoidance of tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption. It's also important to have regular check-ups with a healthcare provider and to discuss any concerns or symptoms that you may be experiencing.
HEART DISEASE RISK FACTORS FOR WOMEN
Although several traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease — such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity — affect women and men, other factors may play a bigger role in the development of heart disease in women. For example, risk factors may include:
· Diabetes. Women with diabetes are at greater risk of heart disease than are men with diabetes.
· Mental stress and depression. Women’s hearts are affected by stress and depression more than men’s. Depression makes it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow recommended treatment, so talk to your doctor if you’re having symptoms of depression.
· Smoking. In women, smoking is a greater risk factor for heart disease in women than it is in men.
· Inactivity. A lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for heart disease, and some research has found women to be more inactive than men.
· Menopause. Low levels of estrogen after menopause pose a significant risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease in the smaller blood vessels (coronary microvascular disease).
· Broken heart syndrome. This condition — often brought on by stressful situations that can cause severe, but usually temporary, heart muscle failure — occurs more commonly in women after menopause. This condition may also be called takotsubo cardiomyopathy, apical ballooning syndrome or stress cardiomyopathy.
· Certain chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy for cancer. Some chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapies, such as those used to treat breast cancer, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
· Pregnancy complications. High blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy can increase women’s long-term risk of high blood pressure and diabetes and increase the risk of development of heart disease in mothers.Some research has found that if you had pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure or diabetes your children may also have an increased risk of heart disease in the future.
Women with inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, may also have a higher risk of heart disease. Research is ongoing in other heart disease risk factors in women.
