According to statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in women who live in the United States. Women are more likely to struggle with heart disease over their lifetimes; this could be due to a few unique factors. Learn about heart disease risks and symptoms in women as well as ways of preserving heart health. Dr. Jeffrey Chase, Dr. Ahmet Sayan, and the Virgin Islands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine team on St. Croix, VI, and St. Thomas, VI, specialize in heart disease and helping women maintain good overall and cardiovascular health.
Heart Disease in Women
Common heart disease conditions that can affect women include arrhythmia, angina, coronary artery disease, stroke, heart attack, and heart failure. Women are more likely to have consequences of heart disease, like heart attack, after the age of 50. They also may have unique risk factors due to lifestyle issues and stress triggers.
Unique Risk Factors for Women
Though heart disease is a concern for people of all ages and genders, women may be at a higher risk of heart disease due to these factors:
- Lowered estrogen levels as a woman ages and other hormonal issues
- Some women may have smaller arteries than men
- Higher risk of fatality due to ignoring symptoms and normalizing pain
- Higher levels of stress from family pressures, emotionally demanding work, child-rearing, pregnancy, and societal causes
If you have heart disease on St. Croix, VI, or St. Thomas, VI, a doctor specializing in cardiology can teach you how to identify these risk factors and minimize their effect on your cardiovascular and overall health.
Common Symptoms of Heart Disease in Women
Some women may experience aches and pains and assume they are normal when it could be a cardiovascular-related concern. Women sometimes tolerate higher thresholds of pain in the body after going through childbirth or menstrual issues, so they may come to normalize feelings of discomfort. Possible heart disease symptoms in women include:
- Elevated blood pressure
- Pain in the neck, shoulders, back, arm, or upper abdomen
- Sweating even when it isn't hot or when not participating in physical activity
- Feeling light-headed, dizzy, and tired all the time
- Shortness of breath, especially after exercise or physical activity
Put Yourself and Your Health First
Women often put the needs of others before themselves, whether it be their family, children, or other loved ones. When it comes to your overall health and heart disease on St. Croix, VI, and St. Thomas, VI, you and your needs should always be a top priority. Call (340) 714-2845 on St. Thomas, VI, or (340) 692-5000 on St. Croix, VI, today to see Dr. Chase or Dr. Sayan for a heart disease checkup at Virgin Islands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.