Understanding heart disease in women

Heart disease is often considered to be a disease of men, but it does not discriminate. It is a leading killer in women. An estimated one in four women will die of heart disease. 

Following are the common type of heart diseases in women and their unique features in women: 

• Coronary artery disease causing blockages and heart attack : It often presents with atypical symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, neck or jaw pain besides the usual chest pain. Unique risk factors include early menopause, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hormone therapy, oral contraceptive pills especially, after 40 yrs of age. 

• Arrhythmia like atrial fibrillation and flutter characterized by irregular heartbeat and leading to stroke and heart failure. It is more common in women at advanced age. It is often silent and first presentation may be stroke.

• Diseases of heart valves characterized by leakage or narrowing of heart valves: It is more common in women. Diseases like rheumatic heart disease occur in young women and may cause complications during pregnancy and childbirth . 

• Micro vascular disease characterized by blockages of small vessels of heart is much more common in women. Coronary angiogram is normal and symptoms like chest pain in these these women are often wrongly attributed to stress or panic.

• Broken heart syndrome characterized by temporary weakness of heart muscle due to extreme emotional stress. It almost exclusively occurs in women. It mimics heart attack. Coronary angiogram shows normal arteries and it is reversible 

It is extremely important for women and healthcare providers to be aware of the unique features of heart disease in women. Healthy lifestyle, regular preventive check ups to detect  and treat the risk factors and the disease at the earliest is of paramount importance.

The theme of International Women’s Day 2025 is “ Accelerate Action” . It is time for all of us to join hands in saving women from the scourge of heart disease. One Heart at a time!