Heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in women. While awareness has doubled over the last 15 years, still only 56 percent of women identified heart disease as the leading cause of death in a 2012 survey by the American Heart Association.
One in three women dies from heart attack and stroke, but many of these deaths can be prevented. Women often come to the emergency room too late because they attributed their symptoms to less life-threatening conditions like acid reflux or the flu.
Raising awareness about the rising incidence of heart disease and gender differences is essential to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of CVD.
The warning signs and symptoms of heart disease manifest differently in men and women. For example, women often experience more subtle symptoms than men. Chest pain or discomfort is the most common heart attack warning sign in both men and women, but women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, pressure or pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, or extreme fatigue.
Women often feel pressure in the middle of their back, between their shoulder blades, especially when walking up a hill. They are more likely to break out in cold sweats and experience nausea.
Heart disease is a silent killer because women do not recognize many of these signs when they occur. Furthermore, nearly two-thirds of women who die suddenly from a heart attack had no previous symptoms prior to the attack.
At Mount Sinai, cardiologists who specialize in women’s health offer complete Cardiac Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE) for patients who want to prevent heart disease. Women receive comprehensive physical examinations, including heart-health risk assessments, detailed information about risk factors, and personalized preventive treatment plans. Patients may undergo state-of-the-art diagnostic testing, including echocardiography and stress testing. Patients who have undergone heart surgery or procedures may also participate in the Mount Sinai Cardiac Health Program, which provides exercise, education, and counseling to promote healthy lifestyles.
Female heart attack symptoms may include:
- Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in center of chest
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
- Breaking out in cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
- Extreme fatigue
If at anytime you think you are experiencing a heart attack call 9-1-1 immediately.
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Mary Ann McLaughlin, MD, is Associate Professor of Cardiology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Medical Director of the Cardiac Health Program at the Mount Sinai Health System.