Understanding Heart Disease in Women

Yet a lack of awareness and misconceptions about the disease mean that it is often under-diagnosed and under-treated in women. Raising awareness and understanding women’s unique risk can aid in prevention and improved outcomes worldwide.

Distinct Risk Factors & Symptoms

Women face distinct risk factors for cardiovascular disease. While estrogen is commonly known as a protective factor in heart disease, levels can fluctuate and increase women’s risk of heart disease or stroke. The risk is particularly high after menopause when the protective factors associated with estrogen are gone.

Other risk factors include:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS
• Pregnancy-related disorders or complications
• Breast cancer treatment

Heart attack symptoms can also differ for women. While chest pain is the main symptom of a heart attack, women more commonly experience shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back or jaw pain. This can lead to women having their symptoms dismissed by health care providers.

The Need for Awareness

Increased awareness is critical. For example, in Canada, substantial gaps in knowledge exist with less than 25% of women able to name some of the leading risk factors of CVD, and 38% of primary care physicians indicating that more men than women die of CVD. The Heart and Stroke Foundation in Canada is pushing their “Know your risks” campaign, focused on educating and empowering women to understand the different risk factors for CVD at different stages of life – from reproductive years to menopause to post-menopause

Clinicians should also be prepared to discuss specific risk factors and preventive measures, including:

• Not smoking or using tobacco
• Getting 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week
• Eating healthy
• Maintaining a healthy weight

Misconceptions shouldn’t keep women from accessing the treatment they need. Campaigns like “Know your risks” focusing on the risk factors and symptoms in women will help to prevent future complications and improve cardiovascular outcomes.