Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for about one in every five female deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Though the average age for a first heart attack is seven years later for women, at 72, they have a lower survivability rate than men.
The best way to survive a heart attack is to avoid it in the first place. Cardiologist César R. Molina, M.D., FACC, and our team in Mountain View, California, know about the common elements and disparities between genders when it comes to heart health.
We prepared this comprehensive overview of heart attacks in women, the statistics, risk factors, and symptoms that you need to know to prepare you for to help you guard against this leading killer.
About 44% of American women have some form of heart disease. Though heart disease is the leading cause of death, more than half of women in the country aren’t aware that they face this danger.
There are differences in how women experience heart attacks compared with men, and many women are surprised when a heart attack hits since it can resemble other, less serious conditions. Understanding the way a heart attack presents can help ensure prompt emergency care if the moment strikes.
While chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack, and it’s common to both women and men, other symptoms that women experience are different and seemingly unrelated to a heart incident.
Symptoms of heart attack that women experience more often than men include:
Women also tend to experience heart attack symptoms when at rest more often than men. Women may experience symptoms when they’re sleeping, and emotional stress may be a more common heart attack trigger for women than it is for men.
As with symptoms, there are heart attack risk factors common to both women and men. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity play a roughly equal role in heart attack risk for both genders.
Some risk factors weigh more heavily in women than they do in men. These include:
Treating underlying conditions and making heart-friendly lifestyle changes are the best ways to lower your risk of heart attack in general and early heart attack specifically.
Book an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Molina and our team for a full heart health assessment to pinpoint both your level of risk and the best ways to reduce your risk. Call or click to schedule today. We also offer telehealth appointments.
