Heart Disease Symptoms for Women

Heart disease symptoms in women are different than heart disease symptoms in men. Doctors now understand these differences and are finally diagnosing heart disease in women. In the past, women complained that their doctors would misdiagnose their symptoms like anxiety and stress, only to find out they had early symptoms of heart disease.

A Woman's Heart is Different

A woman's heart is different in some ways compared to a man's heart. A women's heart is about two-thirds the size, has smaller arteries and a woman's heart beats faster.

Estrogen protects a woman's heart, but after menopause, a woman should take a more proactive heart-healthy approach to diet and exercise. Recent studies have found that women under 55 were more likely to be misdiagnosed with heart disease than men. Thankfully, doctors have become more aware of the differences in heart disease symptoms in women.

Women and Heart Disease

Women reported that their doctors do not normally discuss heart disease with them while other women said that their doctors misdiagnosed their heart disease symptoms like stress, panic disorders, and anxiety attacks.

Woman do not fare as well as men after having a heart attack and are more likely to die within a year of having a heart attack. The average age for a woman to have her first heart attack is 70, which is one reason women worry about other health problems instead of heart disease at a younger age.

Coronary Heart Disease in Women

The symptoms of coronary heart disease (CHD) can be different in a woman compared to a man. One of the common symptoms of CHD is angina, which can range from discomfort to pain in the chest. This is caused when the heart does not get enough oxygen-rich blood. The symptoms of angina in women can occur during daily activities and are as follows:

• Sharp and burning chest pain
• Pains in the next, jaw, throat, stomach and back
• Women also reported having symptoms of angina while resting or sleeping. Stress can trigger angina symptoms in women.

Silent Coronary Heart Disease

Silent coronary heart disease might not be diagnosed until symptoms of a heart attack or an arrhythmia are discovered. An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat.

Heart Disease Symptoms in Women

According to a report in Circulation, the following heart disease symptoms were reported by women one month before a heart attack.

• 71% of women reported unusual fatigue
• 48% had sleep disturbances
• 42% reported shortness of breath
• 39% of women complained of indigestion
• 36% had anxiety
• 27% felt their heart racing
• 25% of the women had heavy or weak arms

The most reported heart attack symptoms for women were shortness of breath, weakness, unusual fatigue, cold sweat, dizziness, nausea and weakness in their arms. Any women having these heart disease symptoms should talk to a doctor immediately.

Heart Healthy Books

These books can help you prevent and reverse heart disease. They are not hard to read or understand and contain a lot of helpful information and heart healthy recipes.

• Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn
• The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook
• The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall
• How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger

To be honest, my favorite book is "The Starch Solution". Dr John McDougall's book is easy to understand and includes anecdotes from some of his many patients. 

About the Author

Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Copyright © 2014-2022 Sam Montana