Women's Heart Health Specialist

 What is women's heart health?

Women's heart health is an important issue because many women are unaware that cardiovascular disease isn’t just a problem for men — in fact, it's a common cause of death in women as well.

Heart disease is a risk for women of all ages. Women's heart health focuses on the reasons why you might develop heart disease and the different ways in which women experience symptoms of heart problems.

What risk factors are significant in women's heart health?

Leading heart disease risk factors in men, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, present similar risks in women. However, some potential risk factors seem to be more significant in women, for example:

• Chronic stress
• Depression
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Family history
• Inflammatory diseases

These examples are all things that increase a man's chances of developing heart disease, but clinical research indicates they pose a higher degree of risk to women. 

A woman's likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease can also rise if they have a complicated pregnancy, as well as the low levels of estrogen in her body after menopause.

What symptoms do women's heart problems cause?

Heart disease symptoms can differ quite surprisingly between men and women. For instance, most people know that a primary heart attack symptom is severe chest pain. However, this mainly applies to men; women might feel little or no chest pain when having a heart attack.

Symptoms that are likely to be worse when a woman has a heart attack include:

• Chest pressure or tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Arm pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Excessive sweating
• Lightheadedness
• Extreme fatigue
• Indigestion

Women might also have more pain in their shoulder, neck, jaw, upper back, or abdomen than men.

Why do symptoms of heart problems differ between men and women?

There are several possible reasons why symptoms of heart problems are different for women, such as:

Coronary microvascular disease

Women are at greater risk of having coronary microvascular disease, in which the smaller arteries become obstructed as well as the main ones.

Sleeping

Women are also more likely than men to have symptoms of heart problems when they're sleeping or resting.

Stress

Emotional stress seems to be more likely to trigger heart attacks in women.

Lack of awareness

The myth that heart disease is mainly a problem for men persists, even though both sexes are equally likely to suffer a heart attack. Many women don't consider that their symptoms could be heart-related, so they don't seek medical attention soon enough.

The expert cardiologists at Arizona Heart Arrhythmia Associates understand the problems women face with their heart health and aim to improve outcomes for women with heart disease. You should visit them if you have any symptoms of a heart condition and attend regular cardiac checkups even if you feel fine.

To arrange a consultation, call your nearest Arizona Heart Arrhythmia Associates office today or book an appointment online.