What women need to know about heart disease
According to the Heart Foundation Australia, more than 1.3 million women have at least three risk factors. Credit:iStock.
When we worry about all the health risks we face with age, heart disease is probably not what scares women the most. But in reality, heart disease is the single biggest killer of women – as well as men, in Australia. It kills nearly three times more Australian women than breast cancer[1]. And the symptoms to look out for might not be what you’d expect. Considering nine in 10 Australian women have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease[2], don’t you think it’s time you learned to read the signs?
The top risk factors in women
According to the Heart Foundation Australia, more than 1.3 million women have at least three risk factors. Of those women, close to 100,000 women aged 18 to 44 have five or more risk factors – so your age isn’t necessarily going to be your saving grace. In addition to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, and family history, there are numerous other factors that can play a role in the development of heart disease.
“Women with diabetes are at greater risk of heart disease than men with diabetes,” says Dr Mona Singh, Medical Director for Bupa. “Pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy can increase women's long-term risk of high blood pressure and diabetes and increase the risk of development of heart disease in the mothers.”
She also notes that women's hearts can be affected by stress and depression more than men's; smoking is a greater risk factor in women than it is in men; and a lack of physical activity is a major cause of heart disease, with some research finding women to be more inactive than men.
High blood pressure is cause for concern
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the leading risk factor for not only coronary heart disease, but also stroke, heart failure and premature death says Dr Singh. “Hypertensive heart disease is more common in women – two to three times more than men, and the risk increases as you get older. Moreover, it is often under-diagnosed and therefore left untreated as it is asymptomatic.”
Hormones also play a role
“Low levels of oestrogen after menopause pose a significant risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease in the smaller blood vessels (coronary microvascular disease),” stresses Dr Singh. Coronary heart disease occurs when the supply of oxygen and other nutrients to the blood vessels become clogged due to a build-up of fat, cholesterol and plaques. Oestrogen can help regulate cholesterol levels, so when menopause hinders your body from producing enough of the hormone, bad cholesterol can accumulate and block blood vessels. Lowering cholesterol and saturated fats in your diet and eliminating trans fats can help. Talk to your GP for additional advice.
Fit women are still at risk
While staying active and physically fit can help to reduce your risk of heart disease, it doesn’t mean you’re immune. Due to the long list of aforementioned causes, “you can be super fit and still have risk factors, which are in themselves often asymptomatic,” says Dr Singh.
The hard-to-recognise symptoms
That heart-clutching symptom many people associate with a heart attack isn’t necessarily what women experience. “The most common heart attack symptom in women is some type of pain (which can be subtle), pressure or discomfort in the chest,” says Dr Singh. But, “It might not always be severe or the crushing type of pain that is often described and experienced by men. Sometimes a heart attack can happen in the absence of any chest pain,” says Dr Singh.
“Women can have non-specific symptoms that are different from those that occur in men,” she says, adding that they often present much later in the course of the disease process.
Dr Singh lists some non-specific symptoms 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
Recognising the signs and seeking urgent care could save your life. The longer you leave heart conditions untreated, the more damage is done to the heart muscle.
Talk to your doctor
Heart disease is responsible for one in eight premature deaths in women[3]. And yet Heart Foundation research suggests only 27 per cent of women speak to their GP about heart disease[4]. Women over 45 should talk to their doctor about getting regular heart health checks; or, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, these discussions should begin as early as 35 years old.
“As you can have risk factors that you may not be aware of, it is advisable to see your local GP for a heart screening,” says Dr Singh. “Once your risk is calculated – depending on your risk profile – your GP will offer advice on lifestyle changes and possible interventions such as medication or referral for further investigations.” Heart screenings involve blood tests, checking blood pressure and discussing family medical history as well as lifestyle habits with your doctor.
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References:
(1, 3 & 4) https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/images/uploads/main/Women_and_heart_disease_key_stats_and_factsheet.pdf
(2) https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/images/uploads/publications/Heart_Foundation_Annual_Review.pdf
[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics. Causes of Death 2014 (3303.0). March 2016.
[2] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010. Women and heart disease: cardiovascular profile of women in Australia. Cardiovascular disease series no. 33. Cat. no. CVD 49. Canberra: AIHW.
[3] Australian Bureau of Statistics. Causes of Death 2014 (3303.0). March 2016.
[4] Heart Foundation. Heartwatch Survey 2014.
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