Getting The Facts On Possible Heart Disease In Women

By Author: Taryn Johnson
Total Articles: 4
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Being on the lookout for a pending heart attack is vital for both men and women. Sometimes the signs are subtle or can be mistaken for symptoms of other, less severe maladies. Also, early signs of heart disease in women can differ from those of men and might be ignored. For these reasons, it’s important to get the facts on what a woman’s body may be telling her about her heart, and how to handle it.

Common Symptoms in Women

Both men and women experience sharp pains in their chest when a heart attack is or about to occur. It can often feel like the heart is being squeezed or a heavy load is sitting on the chest. However, women can suffer from additional pains and aches as well as heavy chest pains. These early signs of heart disease in women can include neck or back pain, heartburn, nausea, indigestion, fatigue, vomiting, light-headedness, dizziness, or breathing problems. By contrast, men are more likely to experience cold sweats or have pain in the left arm during heart attacks than women.

Angina

Angina is another indicator for both men and women of early onset heart disease. It is chest pain ...
... due to the heart muscle not getting enough blood rich in oxygen, however, it can strike men and women differently. Men experience angina during physical activity such as exercise or doing heavy work. Rest generally results in angina declining and going away. On the other hand, angina is more likely to afflict women while they are sleeping or resting. Angina can also hit women during everyday activities, like cooking or shopping.

Stress

Stress and depression can affect women’s hearts more than men’s. Depression can impede quality of life and result in poor diet or reduced activity, which can contribute to high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Women can also suffer from broken heart syndrome, when stressful conditions can cause a severe but temporary failure of the heart muscle. This occurs more typically for women after menopause. Such a condition is referred to as apical ballooning syndrome or cardiomyopathy. Broken heart syndrome tends to strike women who have no history of cardiovascular problems, so if you are struck with these symptoms and know you have no other history of heart trouble, consult a physician.

Pregnancy Complications

Women should also be vigilant for problems that arise during a pregnancy. These early signs of heart disease in women include diabetes or a bout of high blood pressure while pregnant, which can increase future risk of high blood pressure and ensuing heart trouble. There is also the possibility that pregnancy could exacerbate existing heart problems. However, the good news is that not all heart ailments pose a significant risk to pregnant women. To ask about your specific situation and any risks, talk to a doctor before getting pregnant.

Women’s bodies react differently to heart trouble than men, and sometimes these early signs of heart disease in women can be mistaken for other, less life-threatening maladies such as a cold, the flu or acid reflux. Other signs may seem like just the normal process of aging. Be aware of the possibility that these symptoms can portend something worse, and check out your situation with your trusted physician.

For more information visit at: http://thefhfoundation.org/do-you-know-the-early-signs-of-heart-disease/