Heart Disease in Women: Recognizing the Warning Signs & Risks

Heart disease is not only a man's disease: it is also the leading cause of death in women over the age of 65. Heart attack symptoms are often ignored by female victims, making heart disease especially deadly for women.

Risks

• According to FamilyDoctor.org, women who smoke and have high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels are at most risk for heart conditions. Family history and age also contribute to the likelihood of heart problems in women.

Signs

• Signs of heart problems and future heart attack in women include difficulty sleeping, tiredness, stomach upset and general anxiousness. The main symptoms of a heart attack are difficulty breathing, chest pain, weakness, cold sweat and dizziness, as reported by the National Institutes of Health.

Secondary Symptoms

• Seventy-five percent of women experience chest pain during a heart attack. Secondary symptoms include nausea, stomach problems and faintness.

Early Warnings

• Most women report increased fatigue and trouble sleeping for at least a month before a heart attack or cardiac episode. Stomach problems are also an early warning sign.

Survival

• According to a study published in the August 26, 2009 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Association," there is no difference between the survival rates of men and women. Women are just as likely as men to die following a cardiac episode.