Generally speaking, women have lower rates of heart disease than men. This is especially true for men and women in the first half of their lives. As we age, though, and after women go through menopause, their risk of heart disease goes up. Believe it or not, heart disease is actually the leading cause of death for both women and men… about 1 in 4 people die from it, and 1 in 5 women die from it. And speaking of women, the heart disease statistics for us are even more startling. Heart disease kills more women than all types of cancer combined, including breast cancer. Not to mention, women are less likely to be correctly diagnosed and treated than men. So why don’t we hear more about it? Why aren’t we talking more about what we can do to prevent it?

Let’s get into it.

What is heart disease? What are the symptoms of heart disease?

According to the CDC, the term “heart disease” represents a few different heart conditions, but the most common is coronary artery disease, or CAD. Put simply, CAD impacts blood flow to the heart, which can cause a heart attack.

The scary part is that while this disease is so deadly, the symptoms can be silent or go unnoticed. In other words, some people experience symptoms while some feel absolutely nothing. Those who do experience symptoms may have chest pain or heart palpitations—but as you probably know, those symptoms can be caused by other conditions too, which makes heart disease difficult to diagnose until there’s a major incident like a heart attack or heart failure.

That said, people do usually experience symptoms leading up to one of those major events. For instance, the CDC says symptoms of a heart attack can include chest pain, discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Similarly, heart failure symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, or swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, abdomen, or neck veins.

As for women, we are more likely than men to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain, such as:

Neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort
Shortness of breath
Pain in one or both arms
Nausea or vomiting
Sweating
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Unusual fatigue
Indigestion

These symptoms may be vague and not as noticeable as the crushing chest pain often associated with heart attacks. Doctors think this might be because women tend to have blockages not only in their main arteries but also in the smaller ones that supply blood to the heart—a condition called small vessel heart disease or coronary microvascular disease.

Women tend to have heart attack symptoms more often when resting, or even when asleep, than they do in men. And because women don't always recognize their symptoms as those of a heart attack, they tend to show up in emergency rooms after heart damage has occurred.

Bottom line: If you are a woman who is post-menopausal, I highly recommend going to see a doctor to talk about heart disease. Like most conditions, you want to get ahead of heart disease, know if you’re at risk for it, and do what you can to prevent it.

What are the risk factors for heart disease?

Fortunately, many of the risk factors for heart disease come from behaviors or conditions that we have some control over. Of course, genetics can play into some of these conditions, and if you have a family history of them, you should definitely be in communication with your doctor.

The top three risk factors for heart disease are high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking. (As many as 47% of Americans have one of these risk factors.) Also, certain medical conditions and lifestyle choices can increase one’s risk of developing heart disease. Some of these include…

Diabetes
Being overweight or obese
Eating an unhealthy diet
Lack of physical activity and movement
Excessive alcohol use

How to prevent heart disease

Finally, let’s talk about how to prevent heart disease. Some of the risk factors of heart disease can be mitigated by making healthier lifestyle choices, which is great news! Even those who have a family history of heart disease or the conditions listed above that contribute to heart disease can make these changes, with hopes of thwarting the disease altogether or at least minimizing their risk.

Some changes you can make to prevent heart disease are:

Quitting smoking
Being more physically active
Drinking less alcohol
Losing weight
Eating a healthier diet

But in addition, you can prevent heart disease by keeping a close eye on your health. Getting your cholesterol and blood pressure checked frequently, managing your diabetes if you have it, taking prescribed medications, and staying in contact with your doctor are all steps you can take to prevent heart disease.

And if you struggle with getting enough physical activity, losing weight, or eating a healthier diet… let me help you! I have tons of blog posts on these topics, which I’ll list below. Being part of the PJW Community means that myself and all the other members have your back—we all want each other to stay healthy and happy, so we’re in the fight against disease together!

I hope you’ll check out some of these blog posts, and as always, feel free to reach out to me in our Private Pure Joy Wellness Facebook Group or via Instagram. I’m always happy to chat with you and help you as best as I can.

Healthy Eating

Weight Loss

Physical Activity & Movement

Xo,

Renata

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What Every Woman Should Know About Heart Disease

Pure Joy Wellness