Heart Diseases in Women – Everything you need to Know

The term heart disease means several heart diseases, including coronary artery diseases and heart attacks. Often, there is the misconception that heart diseases are found in men more than women; however, it is one of the most common causes of death in both men and women.

It is essential to know when to go to the doctor to reduce the risks of heart diseases in women. Moreover, the best heart hospital in Bangalore will positively assist you with the utmost care.

Symptoms of a Heart Attack

One of the most common symptoms of a heart attack is the uneasiness, pain, or discomfort in the chest, which comes and goes. Although this symptom is not noticeable, it is possible to have a heart attack without any chest pain. If you observe any of the below symptoms, it is advisable to visit the best heart hospital in Bangalore to receive adequate and early treatment.

Women often face symptoms that are not related to the chest when they have a heart attack. Some of the symptoms include:

  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Pain in both or one arm
  • Indigestion
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue
  • Sweating
  • Neck, shoulder, or jaw pain
  • Abdominal discomfort
  • Lightheadedness
  • Dizziness

These symptoms are not noticeable and vague. It happens because women tend to have blockages in their small as well as their big arteries. This condition is known as small vessel heart disease or coronary microvascular disease.

Women tend to experience symptoms while resting or even while sleeping.

Since women don’t share the signs early on, they usually reach the hospital when the damage is already done. It is also one of the reasons why women are diagnosed with lesser heart diseases than men.

Heart Disease Risk Factors in Women

Some Heart Diseases in Women result from anatomical abnormalities, which occur because of the way the heart is formed.

Genetic factors also play an essential part in increasing the chances of having heart disease if it runs in your family.

Many other factors play an essential role in developing heart diseases in women. Some of them are:

  • High blood pressure
  • Smoking
  • Diabetes
  • HIV
  • Family history of heart diseases
  • Depression
  • Stress
  • Overweight or obesity
  • High blood pressure during pregnancy
  • Menopause
  • Not being physically active

Other factors which put you at risk for developing heart diseases include:

  • Stroke
  • Heart failure
  • Aneurysm
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Heart attack

Preventing Heart Diseases

Many factors come into play when it comes to heart diseases, including biological factors and your lifestyle. Although you can not eliminate the risk of heart diseases, you can try to include lifestyle changes to prevent heart diseases.

Some of them include:

Maintain a healthy lifestyle: If you are overweight, try asking your doctor to help you in reducing weight. Being in a healthy weight range reduces the risk of heart diseases and diabetes.

Exercise regularly: Including a little bit of exercise is good for everyone’s health. Try doing a brisk walk for 30 minutes every day to reduce the risk of heart diseases.

Avoid smoking: If you smoke, try to avoid it since it damages the blood vessels.

Less stress: Stress causes the arteries in your heart to tighten, increasing the chances of heart diseases.

Healthy diet: Try to avoid fatty foods and go for whole grains, fruits, and increase the intake of vegetables, low-fat yogurt, and lean meat in your diet.

Reduce alcohol: No matter how much alcohol you drink in a day, try to avoid it as much as possible. Slowly reduce alcohol intake and then eliminate it from your diet to live a healthy and happy life.

Trust you, doctor: If your doctor has prescribed you medicines for high blood pressure, then take them regularly and don’t skip the medication to reduce the risk of heart diseases in the long run.

Diagnoses

If you visit a doctor to get yourself checked for heart diseases, they will prescribe some tests and ask about your family history, lifestyle, and general questions.

Your doctor might give you some blood tests and some tests to check if you face any heart diseases.

Some tests include:

  • Blood Cell Counts
  • Liver function
  • Kidney function
  • Inflammation levels
  • Sodium and potassium levels
  • Thyroid functions

If your test comes out positive, your doctor might need to give you some more invasive tests, which include:

Cardiac catheterization: This shows if your arteries are blocked and how well your heart is working.

Loop recorder: This the cause of your irregular heartbeats, also known as arrhythmia.

Conclusion

Heart diseases are much more common in women than people realize. Many women don’t face any symptoms of heart diseases and often ignore them. However, if you feel you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, don’t take them lightly and rush to the hospital to get yourself checked.