Heart Diseases: The Common Cause of Deaths in Women

Heart Diseases The Common Cause of Deaths in Women MAMA BLOGHeart Diseases The Common Cause of Deaths in Women MAMA BLOG

The leading cause of death in the United States is Heart Disease. They remain the top cause, as each year, around 610,000 people die of different cardiovascular diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Later in life, different heart problems become immediately life-threatening, however, the treatments can control the symptoms and prevents the complications. 

Gender doesn’t matter when it comes to cardiovascular complications. Although, the statistics and studies have shown that it is the increasing cause of deaths in women. It is not just a man’s problem as most people think, the disease is found in women in equal numbers. Which shows up in older life. 

Moreover, the symptoms in women are different than men, and there are chances of death in women within a year if they get a heart attack more than men. Researches are being started now to study and reveal the difference in heart-related problems in men and women. Which is essential to decide and tailor the treatment that reduces the risk of deaths in women. 

Symptoms of Heart Attack in Women

Most of the symptoms in women are the same as in men. Such as chest pain, discomfort, or pressure which comes and goes and most of the time lasts for some minutes. In women, the chest pain is not that severe as in men, and it is possible that they got a heart attack without having chest pain. Although this discomfort is described as chest tightness and pressure in women. The other symptoms unlike chest pain are;

  • Indigestion
  • Vomiting or Nausea
  • Breathing problems
  • Dizziness
  • Sweating
  • Pain in one arm or sometimes both
  • Fatigue
  • Discomfort in jaws, shoulders, neck, upper back, or stomach

Sometimes these symptoms are unnoticeable but associated with a heart attack. Women are more likely to have symptoms when they are sleeping or resting. While the major trigger of a heart attack in women is stress and tension.

The Risk Factors of Heart Disease in Women

There are some common reasons for heart disease in women as in men, like obesity, blood pressure, and cholesterol. However, the other risk factors are;

Mental Health: Women with stress and depression are more likely to have heart diseases. Disturbed mental health makes it difficult for women to maintain a healthy routine. 

Menopause: The decreased levels of estrogen in women that occurs after menopause leads to the risk of creating disease in the smaller vessels. 

Diabetes: More than men, women who have diabetes are at risk of getting heart disease. There is a greater risk of silent heart attack as diabetes changes the pain sensations. 

Complications in Pregnancy: When women have blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy, there is a higher risk of having long-term blood pressure and diabetes. This increases the chances of having a heart attack later.  Inactivity: Some of the researches has shown that women are less active than men. However, the lack of routine exercise can cause heart problems in women. 

/by