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As in men, the most common symptom of a heart attack in women is chest pain, pressure, or discomfort that either lasts a long time or comes and goes. However, especially in women, chest discomfort is often not the most prominent symptom or the most severe symptom.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Rajesh Bhat U, associate professor and senior interventional cardiologist at KMC Hospital, Mangalore, said, “Women often describe heart attack pain as tightness or pressure. Also, chest pain is not always a sign of a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain are more common in women than men.”
According to him, these symptoms include:
• Discomfort in the neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back, or upper stomach (abdomen)
• Difficulty in breathing
• Pain in one or both arms
• nausea or vomiting
• to sweat
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Unusual tiredness
• Heartburn (indigestion)
Dr Rajesh Bhatt U explained that these symptoms may be less obvious and more vague than the sharp chest pain that is often associated with a heart attack. He said, “This may be due to the fact that women are more likely than men to have blockages in the major and small arteries that carry blood to the heart, known as coronary microvascular disease or small vessel heart disease. Compared to men, women are more likely to have symptoms even while resting or sleeping. Emotional stress may play a role in triggering heart attack symptoms in women.”
“Women may be diagnosed with heart disease less often than men because heart attack symptoms in women can differ from those in men. When there is no significant artery blockage, women are more likely than men to have a heart attack (non-obstructive coronary artery disease),” the cardiologist said.
Treatment of heart disease in women:
“Treatment for heart disease is generally the same for men and women. Medication, angioplasty and stenting or coronary bypass surgery are some of the options,” said Dr. Rajesh Bhatt U. Men and women handle heart disease differently, with some notable differences:
• Men and women deal with heart disease differently, with women taking statins and aspirin being less likely than men to prevent a future heart attack. However, studies show the benefits are similar in both groups.
• Women are less likely to undergo coronary bypass surgery than men, probably because women have less obstructive disease or smaller arteries but more small vessel disease.
• Recovery from heart disease and overall health can be improved by cardiac rehabilitation. But women are less likely to receive a referral for cardiac rehabilitation than men.
Highlighting that CVD in women is under-recognized and under-treated in clinical practice due to multiple reasons, Dr. Rajesh Bhatt U stressed that there is a need for awareness about CVD in women as the natural history of CVD is different in women than in men. He explained, “Women are protected from CVD due to estrogen, but after menopause the risk is higher than in men. Awareness and good diagnostic tools are essential to evaluate various aspects of CVD in women and detect it early. Management of risk factors and optimal treatment of underlying conditions can reduce the risk of CVD in women.”
Women can take the following preventive measures:
Offering his expertise, Dr. Srichandran L, Senior Consultant – Interventional Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology at MGM Healthcare, Chennai, assures, “Women can take some proactive steps to protect their heart health and increase their chances of a long and healthy life. Regular health checkups are most important to prevent cardiovascular diseases. These mainly analyse blood pressure, cholesterol levels and overall heart health.”
He suggested, “A heart-healthy diet is one of the key factors to staying healthy. A healthy diet emphasizes the importance of consuming fruits and vegetables. Limiting saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars will keep the body physically healthy. Regular exercise is an important measure to prevent heart disease. Women should engage in at least 50 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio activities or 25 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week.”
Dr. Srichandran L concludes, “Physical activity not only helps control weight but also improves heart function, lowers blood pressure and promotes overall health. Tobacco and alcohol consumption substantially increase the risk of heart disease or heart attack. It can damage blood cells, increase blood pressure, reduce oxygen flow to the body.”
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