Heart Health in Women

By Jennifer Enright, R.N.

Most would think that breast cancer is the leading cause of death in American women. Surprisingly, it is not so. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in women in the United States. It surpasses the combination of deaths related to breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers.

Ongoing research has revealed a number of reasons as to why more women than men are afflicted with cardiovascular disease resulting in death. One explanation is that women develop heart disease later in life than men and at that point in life, will be more likely to have additional chronic health problems. Another reason is women may not be diagnosed or medically managed to the same degree as men. Along with that notion, women tend to have atypical symptoms of a heart attack. For instance, many women do not present with the typical crushing chest pain as many men do, so they are often misdiagnosed.

Studies are also proving that women's bodies react differently than men's to many prescribed cardiac medications. In fact, in some cases, the prescribed cardiac medications have caused harmful side effects. Women also have a greater risk of developing heart disease after menopause as well as cholesterol levels tend to increase. Due to the greater risk of developing postmenopausal heart disease, many women were placed on hormone replacement therapy (a combination of estrogen and progestin). However, studies by the Women's Health Initiative have recently shown that hormone replacement therapy is not beneficial in the prevention of cardiac disease and stroke in postmenopausal women. The recommendation is to not treat women with hormone replacement therapy for the sole purpose of preventing heart disease or stroke. In fact, it has been found that there is a much greater risk of developing invasive breast cancer and blood clots in the legs and lungs. Experts recommend that women who are currently taking hormones for prevention of cardiac disease should discuss this very matter with their physician and determine if the therapy should be continued.

There are risks of cardiac disease that are specific to women only, and some of the risks are the same for both women and men. The risk factors specific to women include: increasing age, post-menopausal, African-American ethnicity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cigarette smoking, high cholesterol, family history, obesity, and little or absence of regular exercise. As stated previously, many women experience more subtle symptoms of a heart attack. Symptoms may include: chest discomfort, tightness or fullness, indigestion that is not cured by antacids, breathlessness, fatigue, jaw pain, and chest pain during exercise only.

It is estimated that one in two women will die due to heart disease or stroke. With this shocking prediction, American women should be proactive in the management of their own health and physical well-being. It has been proven that prevention is the “best medicine” for cardiovascular disease.

Again, prevention is key. Women must develop healthy habits at an early age and make them a daily regimen. The following are stepping stones in prevention of cardiovascular disease: do not smoke, monitor cholesterol levels, monitor blood pressure, lose weight if overweight, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and reduce stress. It is recommended that women discuss their individual risks or diagnosis of cardiovascular disease with their physician and together develop an appropriate plan of care and lifestyle regimen in order to improve heart health.

Information was gathered from various sources, Time Magazine, Duke Health, American Heart Association, and University of Michigan Health System.