Know Your Risk Before It Strikes
Your arteries could be hiding early disease. Find out today.
Compared to men, women remain dangerously underdiagnosed and undertreated for cardiovascular disease (CVD) as I recently reported in a scientific update to healthcare providers. One factor is the lingering myth among women and even doctors that CVD mainly affects men. This misunderstanding leads to gaps in heart attack prevention and care.
In a recent survey, 43% of women were unaware that CVD is their no. 1 health threat, killing ten times more women than breast cancer does. Only 8% of primary care doctors, and 17% of cardiologists, knew that more women than men die from CVD every year.
The good news is that with the right knowledge and care, heart attacks and strokes are preventable. Here are 5 things everyone needs to know about heart attack risk men and women and stroke risk factors men and women.
You’re NOT too young to have a heart attack
In a 2015 Yale study, CVD was called “a rising epidemic” in younger Americans, particularly women. The researchers studied 3,501 heart attack survivors, ages 18 to 55, and found that almost all had at least one potentially modifiable risk factor such as diabetes heart attack risk, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity stroke risk, or smoking heart disease and about 65% had three or more of these conditions.
Women are less likely to be told about their heart attack and stroke risks
The Yale team found that only 53% of the patients studied knew they were in danger before their heart attack. Even fewer had discussed how to lower their risk with their medical provider. Women were 11% less likely than men to have been alerted to their cardiovascular threats and 16% less likely to have been counseled on ways to reduce them, such as heart attack prevention and lifestyle changes.
This alarming cardiovascular risk gender gap in prevention is a key reason why younger women are the only age group with rising rates of CVD deaths.
Women have unique red flags for heart attack and stroke risk
While men and women share certain risk factors for these events, such as those listed above, women also have gender-specific red flags. These include certain pregnancy complications, migraine headaches, lupus, menopause heart attack risk, and hormone replacement therapy.
Hormones heart disease women research shows these can significantly raise stroke risk factors men and women. A recent survey found that 90% of women aren’t aware of these risks. Rates of stroke have jumped by 44% in those under age 55, according to a 2012 study.
Men and women can have different heart attack warning signs
One major study found that days or even weeks before a heart attack, women often had such early heart attack symptoms as severe shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, and anxiety or a sense of impending doom.
During the attack, women also had higher rates of non-chest pain in the upper back, shoulders, neck, or jaw than men. These gender differences are one reason why women under age 55 are up to seven times more likely to be misdiagnosed when they go to the hospital with heart attack symptoms compared to men the same age.
All heart attacks and strokes are potentially preventable with the right knowledge and care
As Dr. Bradley Bale and I discuss in our book, Beat the Heart Attack Gene, it often takes more than the current standard of care to keep your heart and brain healthy. Our approach focuses on early detection and heart attack prevention through screening for hidden arterial disease in both men and women.
This helps address cardiovascular risk gender differences and ensures that all patients receive a personalized plan to prevent heart attacks and strokes, even after having one in the past.
Benefits of Knowing Male and Female Heart Risks
Understanding the heart attack risk men and women face is critical for prevention. Awareness of stroke risk factors men and women allow early action, such as controlling high blood pressure, managing diabetes heart attack risk, and reducing obesity stroke risk.
Recognizing heart attack symptoms that differ by gender helps ensure faster treatment. Knowledge about menopause heart attack risk and hormones heart disease women also empowers women to discuss preventive steps with their providers. Addressing smoking heart disease and other modifiable risks improves survival rates for both men and women.
FAQs
Are females or males more at risk for stroke?
Both face significant stroke risk, but certain female-specific factors can raise women’s risk more.
How are female heart attacks different from male heart attacks?
Women may have symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, or jaw pain instead of chest pain.
What is the most common risk factor for both heart attack and stroke?
High blood pressure is the leading shared risk factor.
Why are females less prone to heart attacks?
Before menopause, estrogen offers some protection, but risk rises sharply afterward.
About the Author: Carol
