Women and Heart Disease -- Know Your Risks and Symptoms

Men can get heart disease, women can get heart disease. Simple, right?

Not exactly. According to a new study from the American Heart Association (AHA), not only is a woman’s risk for heart disease just as high as a man’s, women often have different symptoms and risk factors. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in the United States.

The AHA would like all women to know that 80 percent of heart disease is preventable by making simple lifestyle changes, such as

• Eating better
• Exercising more
• Knowing your family’s health history
• Scheduling a well-woman visit, an annual checkup with a doctor to evaluate your risks for heart disease, stroke, and other serious illnesses

What’s also simple are some of the other things you can do, and questions you can ask your cardiologist, to put your mind — and heart — at ease.

Dr. Jennifer H. Mieres, a Northwell cardiologist, walked us through some of the risks, symptoms and preventative measures women should know.

What risk factors should women be aware of?

There are some things that can increase the risk of heart disease for both men and women. The usual suspects — smoking, diabetes, hypertension, abnormal cholesterol and obesity — are on the list, but even among those issues there are some surprising facts. For example, diabetes raises a woman’s risk three to seven times more than it does for a man.

Additionally, there are some factors that may solely affect women. Some of these include:

• Pregnancy related complications such as gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and eclampsia
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus
• Factors with a greater link to heart disease in women, such as depression and exposure to chronic stress

But by staying proactive in your care, and knowing what to look out for, you’ll be able to keep yourself healthy.

What about symptoms?

Men and women experience many of the same symptoms during a heart attack — chest pain, discomfort, tightness and pressure, along with associated jaw pain and pain or numbness in the left arm. However, women may have unique signs during a cardiac event that do not include chest pain or pressure and can go unnoticed. A few of these may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Back, neck and/or jaw pain
• Pain similar to heartburn
• Palpitations (feelings that your heart is skipping a beat or fluttering, or beating too hard or too fast)
• Total body fatigue

Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that may subside and return minutes later. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. If you feel any or all of these symptoms in excess for longer than 15 minutes, do not delay and call your doctor or 911.

How can you show your heart some love?

Dr. Mieres suggests five key ways that can keep your heart healthy.

1. Try to just be aware of your own personal risks. Over 90 million women have at least one of the risk factors listed above. Just knowing what you should be on the lookout for may change your life.
2. Form a real partnership with your doctor. Dr. Mieres suggests keeping a journal of your health that includes all of your aches and pains. Sometimes, when we go to the doctor’s office, we can forget symptoms that we may have felt only a week or two ago. Keeping your doctor informed might reveal warning signs you didn’t realize you had.
3. Try to be active every day. Don’t worry — that doesn’t mean you have to start training for a marathon! Just be active and get 30 minutes a day of exercise, (walking, jogging, cycling , dancing) even for just 10 minutes at a time. There are plenty of free smartphone apps that will help you keep track of how much you move every day.
4. Watch what you eat. Dr. Mieres recommends “making your plate colorful.” Try adding even more fruits and vegetables to your meals. Avoid processed and fried foods. Also, make sure to have two servings of fatty fish twice a week; the omega-3 fatty acids they contain can be a lifesaver. (Visit the AHA for more information about fish and omega-3 fatty acids.)
5. Control your stress and sleep at least six to seven hours a night. Sleep allows your body to repair itself and relieve stress. Focus on relaxing activities like as exercise, meditation or even adult coloring books — which are said to provide mental health benefits — that can help significantly reduce your stress levels.

Simply by being aware of your risks and knowing what symptoms to look out for, you’re already taking a huge step in the fight against heart disease.