Symptoms of Heart Disease in Women

In the U.S., the leading cause of death for men and women is coronary disease. Every minute, one American dies from a coronary-related health issue, often a heart attack, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). They also estimate that in 2008, about 770,000 Americans will suffer a new coronary attack and 430,000 will experience a recurring heart attack.
These numbers include women. Often seen as primarily a "man's disease," women account for almost 53 percent of all deaths from coronary-related diseases. And, women may have different symptoms of heart disease than men.
Women may experience what feels likes indigestion and nausea while men may experience shortness of breath and pain in the center of the chest. See your doctor if heart disease runs in your family to determine if you are at risk.

Identification

• Heart disease is any disease that will impair the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently to the limbs and back. Hypertension is high blood pressure where the arteries may have become narrowed as their walls are blocked with cholesterol.
  Women are at risk for heart attacks just as men are. Women may also show different symptoms of a heart attack such as what feels like indigestion, light-headedness and nausea. These symptoms are not what most men experience before a heart attack and some women may be misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.

Significance

• As the leading cause of death in women, in 2004, about 450,000 women died from coronary heart disease, according to the CDC.
  What is important to note is that the primary symptoms of heart disease in women is different than those found in men.
  Women can ask their doctors what the current research states regarding prevailing symptoms. Women can have their blood pressure and blood fat levels monitored to be certain to determine if they are at risk for a heart attack.
  There are many ways to lower risk for coronary heart disease through stress management, diet, exercise and other changes in life style.

Features

• Heart attacks may come on suddenly and the symptoms may be surprisingly mild: some women report that they did not realize the discomfort they were feeling was a heart attack.
  Women tend to notice symptoms of something similar to indigestion or nausea--different than what men experience before a heart attack.
  If women continue to get annual physical exams, they can be easily screened for heart disease. No one needs to go undetected for coronary heart disease.

Misconceptions

• The greatest misconception is to believe that heart disease is mainly a health risk for men. This is in accurate. Both men and women are at risk for heart disease.
  If you are over 55, over your ideal weight, smoke, drink or have high levels of unmanaged stress in your life, seek your doctor's advice.
  These are the many obvious signs that you may be at risk for developing a coronary heart disease.
  Changes in diet, adding regular, appropriate exercise and developing a stress management plan all can help ward off a heart attack--if practiced consistently.

Prevention/Solution

• There are many ways to reduce your risk for a heart attack.
  Dean Ornish, MD, as director of a health group in Marin, California, was able to work with people taking medication for hypertension and not only reduce their blood pressure but also do so without surgery or additional drug therapy. Dr. Ornish did so with a program that combined a low-fat diet, exercise, yoga, stress management, building support groups and monitoring benchmarks such as blood pressure.
  The CDC recommends women ages 40 to 64 get regular medical exams to screen them for risks for chronic diseases such heart disease and also liver disorder and diabetes.
  The American Heart Association recommends that everyone reduce their risk for coronary heart disease by limiting their cholesterol to no more than 300 mg a day and to lower their dietary salt intake to no more than 2, 300 mg a day (less if you are prone to heart disease.)
  See your doctor for other specific guidelines.