Heart Disease: Not Just A Man Is Disease

Often labeled the "silent killer," heart disease is a leading cause of death for women in the Unites States. Yet, only 56 percent of women are aware of this fact.Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common form of heart disease. It is caused by the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries supplying the heart with blood and oxygen and is a leading cause of heart attacks, heart failure, abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) and even death.

Unfortunately, women often overlook CAD because we do not experience the typical indicators that men do. Men typically experience shortness of breath or clutching chest pain while women may experience less obvious CAD-related symptoms. These can stem from less serious conditions, like heartburn or stress, when the core problem may actually be from a blockage in her heart arteries or CAD.

Because these symptoms can be easily disregarded, it is so important for women to listen to their bodies, understand and identify possible red flags, and get to the root of their symptoms.

Life-threatening differences in the way women and men are treated for heart care, persist. Two studies just out in the journal Circulation point out that despite established guidelines for heart care, women still come up short when it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.

WomenHeart spoke to Sharonne N. Hayes, MD, director of the Women’s Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and WomenHeart board member to learn more about why the inequities continue and how women can empower themselves and others to achieve equal and quality care for their hearts.

The classic ‘Hollywood heart attack’ is not just overdone – it’s only representative of a small portion of people, and it has allowed harmful stereotypes and health misconceptions to perpetuate for far too long.

Heart disease, typically seen as a ‘male disease,’ is actually the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. In fact, the statistics are shockingly similar – in 2009 heart disease killed 307,225 men and 292,188 women, and accounted for approximately 1 in every 4 deaths for both males and females.

Yet somehow, only about 54% of women recognize heart disease as their number one threat. Because women believe that they are less likely to have heart disease, they are less likely to seek help even when they experience symptoms of a heart attack. Symptom patterns also differ by gender, with women experiencing less typical symptom patterns than men, which may also contribute to a delay in seeking medical care.

In addition, people often miss warning signs of heart disease and oncoming heart attacks. Both genders experience certain symptoms prior to a heart attack, like unusual tiredness and shortness of breath, but men can experience weakness, cold sweats, and dizziness, while women sometimes experience sleep disturbances, indigestion and anxiety for as long as a month before experiencing an actual heart attack.

The symptoms of an ongoing heart attack can vary greatly from the classic Hollywood heart attack for both women and men as well. The basic symptoms of a heart attack are similar for both genders, but certain symptoms commonly associated with male heart attacks have been exaggerated to the point of absurdity.

We’ve been taught by our favorite movies and television shows what a heart attack should look like, but plenty of real-life heart attacks do not incorporate the same hallmark traits. The typical signs of a heart attack (regardless of gender) are chest pressure, pain or discomfort, pain in the arms, back, 

neck, jaw or stomach, shortness of breath, light headedness, and nausea.