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Women’s Heart Health

While cardiovascular disease (CVD) has traditionally been a focus for men’s health, there is growing recognition of heart health as a serious health issue for women – it may just present or be experienced in different ways.

In this month’s blog, we take a closer look at CVD and the specific risk factors, presentation, treatment and outcomes for women.

What is CVD?

Cardiovascular disease refers to a group of conditions related to the cardiovascular system, which comprises the heart and all the blood vessels that pump and move blood around the body.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally and include:

  • Coronary Heart Disease – either angina or heart attack (acute myocardial infarction)
  • Stroke – either caused by a blockage with a blood clot (called an ischaemic stroke) or the rupturing of a blood vessel and bleeding (called a haemorrhagic stroke)
  • Peripheral Vascular Disease – obstruction of the large blood vessels that supply blood to the arms and legs.
  • Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease – caused by an untreated infection with group A streptococcus bacteria
  • Congenital Heart Disease – inherited conditions that affect the structure (such as valves) of the heart.

The biggest cause of deaths from cardiovascular disease is the progressive blocking of blood vessels leading to coronary heart disease and stroke.

CVD stats for women

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 19.8 million people died from CVD in 2022, which represents ~32% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% were due to heart attack and stroke.

In Australia, 10 women die every day from a heart attack, and a further 22 women die every day of heart disease. In fact, women die of heart disease at three times the rate of breast cancer.

Indigenous women are up to twice as likely to have CVD, and to die from coronary heart disease or stroke.

The risk of heart problems increases significantly for women once they reach menopause. This is because of the drop in oestrogen levels, which help protect women from heart disease by supporting the flexibility of the blood vessels and arteries enabling them to adjust to support blood flow.

The drop in oestrogen in menopause can also lead to a number of other factors that increase a women’s risk of CVD, including:

  • higher blood pressure
  • higher total cholesterol
  • higher ‘bad’ cholesterol
  • lower ‘good’ cholesterol
  • higher blood fats such as triglycerides
  • excess weight gain, particularly around the stomach

Some studies have suggested that menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) may help reduce the risk of CVD for some women.

Symptoms

Studies on cardiovascular disease have traditionally focused on men. As a result, women are often diagnosed and treated for CVD based on research findings about men. What we now know, however, is that the symptoms, risk factors and overall experience of CVD can be quite different for women.

Women tend to develop symptoms at a much later stage of the illness. They are also less likely to experience chest pain and may instead experience other symptoms, including:

  • discomfort in the neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdomen
  • breathlessness and a general feeling of unwellness
  • pain, tightness or discomfort in one or both arms
  • nausea or vomiting
  • heartburn or indigestion
  • sweating
  • light-headedness or dizziness
  • unusual fatigue

Women are also more likely to have heart attack symptoms when resting, or even when asleep, compared to men.

Prevention

While some risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as age, menopause, and family history, can’t be changed, the majority of risk factors are able to be managed to support good heart health.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the main key to reducing your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This includes:

  • Avoiding smoking – smoking is a major risk factor, with nicotine directly narrowing your blood vessels.
  • Eating healthy foods – eat a balanced and nutritious diet, avoid processed foods, drink plenty of water, and limit alcohol.
  • Exercising and moving more – aim for physical activity at least 5 or more days each week.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight – exercising and eating healthy food will make this easier.
  • Getting a good night’s sleep – aim for at least 6 hours of sleep each night to help keep you healthy and well-rested.
  • Managing stress – long-term stress can damage the arteries and worsen other risk factors for CVD. Stress can affect women’s hearts more than men’s, so make sure you take time for self-care and address any issues that are causing you stress.

It’s also important to get regular health checks, including your blood pressure and cholesterol, to look for early signs of conditions that can increase your risk of CVD – particularly if you have a family history of heart disease.

Heart health checks at IMC

Got a health question or concern about your heart health? Book in for a heart health check with us today.

A heart health check will assess your risk of having a heart attack or stroke over the next five years.

To make an appointment, contact us on (08) 9208 6400 or book online.

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