What Women Should Know About Heart Disease

While women might be less likely than men to contract cardiovascular disease (CVD), women face more severe prognoses and higher mortality rates.[i] In fact, since the 1980s, more women than men have died from heart disease every year.[ii]

This begs the question: why is CVD so often thought of as a male disease? Studies show that doctors prescribe fewer diagnostic angiograms and interventional procedures for women and generally choose less aggressive treatments for female patients with CVD.[iii] A study of more than two million patients also showed that women were less likely than men to be prescribed aspirin, statins, and certain blood pressure medications that could prevent and treat CVD.[iv]

For these reasons, women need to be more alert and aware of any symptoms that could be related to CVD so they don’t become a victim of the statistics. Read on to learn what all women should know about heart disease.

What types of CVD affect women

It is true that premenopausal women are much less likely than men to suffer from CVD, however, as women reach menopause, their risks of CVD dramatically increase.[v] Women can experience any type of CVD, including:

  • Hypertension
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • Valve failure
  • Arrhythmia
  • Stroke

These types of CVD affect both men and women, but the different genders may experience them differently. For example, a man experiencing a heart attack may have a very different experience than a woman, with different symptoms, feelings, and outcomes. Reasons for this can be attributed to anatomy differences between men and women, including:

  • Blood vessel size: Women generally have smaller blood vessels and heart chambers and thinner chamber walls. This makes it more difficult to perform bypass surgery.
  • Red blood count: Women have fewer red blood cells, meaning their blood carries less oxygen at a time.
  • Blood pressure changes: Women are more likely to have sudden drops in blood pressure, which causes dizziness or fainting.
  • Hormones: Estrogen and progesterone, which are female hormones, could impact heart health. A drop in estrogen during menopause can cause blood clots, plaque buildup, and high cholesterol, all causes of CVD.[vi]
  • Pregnancy: Women may experience preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or pregnancy or postpartum cardiomyopathy, all of which increase the chances of CVD. Women with pre-existing heart conditions while pregnant are more likely to experience CVD complications later in life.

CVD symptoms in women

While chest pain is the most common symptom of heart disease in both men and women, women are more likely to experience other symptoms along with the typical chest pain. These symptoms are less well-known, meaning women may not realize they are related to CVD. Atypical CVD symptoms that women may experience include:

  • Unusual fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Unusual heartbeat
  • Cold sweats
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Sharp pain in the neck, arm, or back

In fact, many women with CVD experience prodromal symptoms, meaning early warning signs, up to a month before a cardiac event. Unfortunately, women tend to ignore these symptoms, rather than seek treatment that could lead to early diagnoses and the prevention of CVD.

How women can protect themselves from CVD

Atypical symptoms of heart disease are generally ignored. How often do people visit their doctors because of unusual fatigue or shortness of breath? For this reason, women are much more likely to experience a severe and even fatal first cardiac event.

However, there are ways for women to protect themselves from CVD. The most important thing women can do is live a heart healthy lifestyle. This includes eating a healthy diet, exercising, and avoiding smoking or other unhealthy behaviors. It’s also important to keep track of your body and contact a doctor about any significant changes.

Find out your CVD risk

The best way to know your risk of CVD is to get heart screenings regularly. Screenings will give you valuable insight into your heart health so you can adjust your lifestyle to reduce risk and monitor anything that could lead to CVD. All women, especially post-menopausal, should get screened annually.

MyCardioGuard offers CVD screening that detects early-stage heart disease even in individuals with few or no symptoms. MyCardioGuard’s screenings are non-invasive, FDA-approved, and designed to catch risk factors that other screening methods may miss. Learn more on our website: https://www.mycardioguard.com/


[i] Gao, Z., Chen, Z., Sun, A., & Deng, X. (2020, January). Gender differences in cardiovascular disease. ScienceDirect, 4, Article 100025. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590093519300256

[ii] Mozaffarian D, et al. AHA statistical update heart disease and stroke statistics—2015 update. Circulation 2015. 131:e29–e322.

[iii] A.H.E.M. Maas, Y.E.A. Appelman. (2010). Gender differences in coronary heart disease. Netherlands Heart Journal Monthly Journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology & the Netherlands Heart Foundation, 18 pp. 598-603.

[iv] Zhao, M., Woodward, M., Vaartjes, I., Millett, E. R. C., Klipstein‐Grobusch, K., Hyun, K., Carcel, C., & Peters, S. A. E. (2020, June 2). Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Medication Prescription in Primary Care: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Journal of the American Heart Association, 9(11). https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.119.014742

[v] El Khoudary, S. R., Aggarwal, B., Beckie, T. M., Hodis, H. N., Johnson, A. E., Langer, R. D., Limacher, M. C., Manson, J. E., Stefanick, M. L., & Allison, M. A. (2020, December 22). Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 142(25). https://doi.org/10.1161/cir.0000000000000912

[vi] Giordano S, Hage FG, Xing D, Chen YF, Allon S, Chen C, Oparil S. Estrogen and Cardiovascular Disease: Is Timing Everything? Am J Med Sci. 2015 Jul;350(1):27-35. doi: 10.1097/MAJ.0000000000000512. PMID: 26110752; PMCID: PMC4490077.

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