The Feminine Face of Heart Disease

By Mrin Shetty, M.D. Photos by UofL Health 

Our focus is on encouraging everyone, including women, to adopt healthy-heart lifestyles and to inform them of signs and symptoms of heart-related issues. It is vital to take proactive measures to reduce the risk of heart disease, especially in women, as women may experience different symptoms compared to men. Heart disease is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed in women, so it is important to raise awareness to help improve early detection and treatment.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. It is important to know what the common risk factors, symptoms and treatments are, especially in women versus men. 

RISK FACTORS

There are non-modifiable risk factors that can’t be controlled, such as race, gender, age and family history. But there are many factors that can be controlled and changed to reduce risk factors for heart disease. Lifestyle factors include smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol use and air pollution. Medical factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. 

SIGNS OF HEART DISEASE IN WOMEN

Although some women, particularly those with diabetes may not experience symptoms, some women may experience:

• Angina (dull or heavy chest discomfort or ache)

• Pain in the neck, jaw or throat

• Pain in the upper abdomen or back

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Tiredness that won’t go away or feels excessive

• Sweating

• Sense of impending doom 

WHY IS HEART HEALTH IGNORED?

Heart health is often ignored due to the misconception that it only affects the elderly and may lack visible symptoms. Limited healtheducation and gender disparities in awareness may also be factors in ignoring heart health. Some women aren’t aware of how the symptoms vary between men and women, so they often get ignored or misdiagnosed.

HOW TO PREVENT AND REDUCE THE RISK OF DEVELOPING HEART DISEASES

It is always important to refer to the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential Eight that focuses on heart health:

1. Eat better

2. Be active

3. Quit tobacco

4. Get healthy sleep

5. Manage weight

6. Control cholesterol

7. Manage blood sugar

8. Manage blood pressure

WE CAN HELP AT UOFL HEALTH

UofL Health – Heart Hospital has a dedicated Women’s Heart Health Clinic where women can come in, share their symptoms in a safe and non-judgmental space and get the attention they deserve from physicians who have specialty training to diagnose and treat women-specificheart disease. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call 502-587-4000 or visit UofLHealth.org. With more than 30 heart care locations, your heart is in the right place at UofL Health.

DEBUNKING MYTHS 

Heart disease only occurs in older people. False.

Heart disease can affect anyone at any age. 

Heart disease is hereditary, so it cannot be prevented. False.

Heart disease results from a mix of genetic and environmental risk factors. Depending on the person’s medical history, there can be ways to monitor your health or preventative measures to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

There’s no reason to stop smoking after doing so for a long period of time. False.

Benefits of quitting smoking are immediate, so it is more beneficial to quit sooner rather than later, as smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Individuals who smoke can have their first heart attack 10 years before those who don’t smoke.