Women and Heart Disease
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Cardiovascular disease—disease of the heart and blood vessels—is by far the top cause of death among American women. According to the American Heart Association, one in 2.5 women will die of heart disease or stroke, compared with one in 30 from breast cancer.
People once thought that cardiovascular disease only affected men. We now know that cardiovascular disease is more common in women than men, partially because women live longer. The risk of getting cardiovascular disease goes up as you age.
What doctors know about women and cardiovascular disease:
At one time, cardiovascular disease was only studied in men. Doctors are still learning how heart problems affect women:
| • | During a heart attack, a woman may feel a burning in her stomach, lightheadedness, and sweating instead of the intense chest pain common in a man. A woman sometimes ignores these lesser-known symptoms of a heart attack. |
| • | Heart attacks are generally more severe in women. A woman is 50 percent more likely to die in the first year after a heart attack than a man. And in the first six years after a heart attack, a woman is almost twice as likely as a man to have another heart attack. |
| • | Women often have heart attacks later in life than men. This explains why women are more likely to die after a heart attack. Also, age-related diseases such as arthritis and osteoporosis can hide heart attack symptoms in women. |
| • | Some tests for finding cardiovascular disease, such as a treadmill stress test, may be less accurate in women than in men |
| • | After menopause, a woman's chances of getting heart disease rise. Some think this is because a woman's estrogen levels decrease during menopause. Estrogen is associated with higher levels of "good cholesterol," which can help ward off a heart attack. |
| • | People with diabetes are more likely to get cardiovascular disease. Diabetes is more common in women. It also cancels the protective effects of estrogen. |
| • | Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) may increase a woman's chances of getting cardiovascular disease, especially if the woman smokes. Birth control pills may raise blood pressure and blood sugar levels in some women, and increase the risk of blood clots, which can cause a heart attack or stroke. |
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