Signs & Symptoms of Heart Problems in Females Over the Age of 50

According to NetWellness.org, a staggering 41.3 percent of all female deaths in the United States are linked to cardiovascular disease. In the year 2000, 505,661 women died due to it. The same study found that the casualties amount to almost twice as much as those attributed to all forms of cancer combined, estimated for the same year at 267,009. Even more alarmingly, most women remain unaware that the risk of heart problems for them equal (if not exceed) that of men; consequently, many fail to notice the proper signs and interpret symptoms properly.

Pain in the chest, neck and extremities

• One of the clearest indicators of heart conditions is pain in the chest, neck and other extremities. The pain manifests any time the patient's blood and blood vessels have become compromised. When the pain comes suddenly and unpredictably, it can mean a very serious, very dangerous condition such as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or the beginning of a heart attack. If the pain develops slowly, it may indicate a condition known as Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), which causes the circulation in the affected limbs to slow, depriving the muscles of vital oxygen. If these symptoms manifest, the patient should see a doctor, as the risk for a heart attack or a stroke rises considerably when conditions like PAD present themselves.

Sudden rise in blood pressure

• A sharp increase in blood pressure, often accompanied by other symptoms such as shortness of breath, vertigo or dizziness and sudden onset indicates that the patient has likely developed a condition known as Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). CHD, one of the most lethal cardiovascular conditions, can very quickly compromise the heart's ability to function normally as the blood vessels that supply the heart's tissue cease working.

Arrhythmia

• Arrhythmia refers to an abnormal functioning of the heart, whereupon it beats in an unsteady, unpredictable or unstable fashion. Oftentimes, this irregular beating of the heart can indicate the onset of an Acute Cardiovascular Attack, more commonly known as a stroke. This could even represent the onset of a heart attack, some of which can result in death.

Cramps, numbness or tingling in the extremities

• Peripheral Artery Disease, Deep Vein Thrombosis and the onset of a stroke can cause the patient to feel sudden cramps, numbness or tingling in the extremities, even when the patient remains at rest. Chronic recurrence of these symptoms can also indicate a very serious problem with the clotting factors in the blood, as well as an inability of the heart to pump blood adequately to the body's extremities.

A sudden inability to speak or understand speech

• Sudden fogginess of the mind and an inability to form coherent statements are signs of the onset of a stroke. Other symptoms include partial paralysis of the face and extremities as well as an inability to coordinate the body so that walking becomes impossible. Because blood flow to the vital areas of the brain has either ceased or become severely limited, the functions of the nervous system become much slower or cease altogether.