Do you get heart disease later than men?
You typically develop heart disease 7–10 years later than men. This is because estrogen offers some protection before menopause. But after menopause, your risk increases significantly.
Why is heart disease often underdiagnosed in women?
Your symptoms might be different from men's and are sometimes mistaken for non-cardiac problems. That is why you may not be referred for necessary tests, such as angiograms or stress tests, as quickly, which can delay diagnosis and treatment.
Are your heart attack symptoms different from those of men?
While you might feel chest pain, you're more likely to also experience nausea, shortness of breath, fatigue, or pain in your back, neck, or jaw—especially during routine activities or times of stress.
How does menopause affect your risk of heart disease?
After menopause, your estrogen levels drop. This can raise your blood pressure, increase your cholesterol, and lead to weight gain around your abdomen—all of which raise your risk of heart disease.
Is smoking more dangerous for your heart than for men's?
If you are a young woman, smoking can significantly damage your heart and cancel out the protective effects of estrogen. It also increases your risk of having an early heart attack.
Does diabetes affect your heart health differently?
If you have diabetes, your risk of dying from heart disease is about 50% higher than it is for men with diabetes. This may be due to smaller arteries, more inflammation, and sometimes less aggressive treatment offered to women.
How does your body weight affect your heart?
After menopause, you are more likely to gain weight around your abdomen, which raises your risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It increases your risk of heart disease.
Are high blood pressure and cholesterol more harmful to you?
Your blood pressure tends to rise more steeply as you age. Even slightly high readings can cause serious complications. After menopause, your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels also tend to increase sharply.
Do hormonal birth control or early menopause increase your heart risk?
If you have gone through menopause before age 40 or taken hormonal birth control for a long time, your heart disease risk may increase due to alterations in your hormone levels that may affect your blood vessels and cholesterol.
Can pregnancy complications raise your heart disease risk later in life?
If you have had conditions like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, your likelihood of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes later is higher.
Why might you receive less aggressive treatment for heart disease?
Women are often underrepresented in heart research, so treatments may not be as tailored for you. You might not be referred as often for procedures like bypass surgery or stenting, which can affect your outcomes.
Is your mental health linked to your heart health?
If you are dealing with anxiety, stress, or depression (which many women do), your heart can suffer. Mental stress can trigger chest pain and worsen heart disease symptoms more often in women than in men.
Do heart tests work the same way for you as they do for men?
Heart tests do not always work the same way for you as they do for men. For example, stress tests may be less accurate in you due to hormonal influences and a smaller heart size. Imaging tests can also be more challenging to interpret due to the presence of breast tissue or smaller arteries.
Are you more likely to get a different kind of heart disease?
You are more likely to develop coronary microvascular disease, which affects tiny arteries and often does not show up on standard tests. This can make diagnosis harder and delay treatment.
What can you do to lower your risk of heart disease?
You can protect your heart by quitting smoking, staying active, eating a healthy diet, managing your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and monitoring your cholesterol levels. Also, talk to your doctor about how menopause or past pregnancies might affect your heart.
