Heart Disease in Women: Understanding Risk & Symptoms

Although many people think of heart disease as a man's problem, it is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States and is also a major cause of disability. The symptoms of a heart attack in women are sometimes unrecognized.

The Facts

• According to Women's Heart Foundation, heart disease accounts for a third of all deaths in women. Under the age of 50, heart attacks suffered by women are twice as likely to result in death as those suffered by men.

Symptoms

• As in men, the primary symptom of a heart attack is chest pain. However, many women have a heart attack without ever experiencing chest pain. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, back pain, nausea and fatigue.

Risk Factors

• Prevention of risk factors is the best possible solution. Risk factors include smoking, hypertension, physical inactivity, obesity and use of birth control pills. For women, age becomes a risk factor at 55.

Considerations

• Signs and symptoms of a heart attack in women are more subtle than in men. Women tend to have blockages in not only the main arteries but also in smaller arteries that supply blood to the heart; this is called small vessel disease. Low levels of estrogen after menopause are a serious risk factor for small vessel disease. Stress and depression affect women's hearts more than men's.

Prevention/Solution

• Women tend to put the needs of others first, and they may not find time to pursue heart-healthy habits. Small changes in lifestyle can make a big difference in preventing heart disease, such as losing weight, becoming more physically active and quitting smoking.