Heart Disease in Women
Heart disease is a leading cause of death for women in Australia.1 Despite this, it continues to be underdiagnosed and undertreated.2 Knowing your risk factors and how to spot symptoms can help you identify risk at an early stage.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease, is a condition that affects the arteries that supply blood to your heart. It is a progressive disease which means that it can develop over years, often with no obvious symptoms. There are several risk factors that may increase your risk of developing heart disease. The good news is that you can take steps at any age to reduce your modifiable risk factors.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease, is a condition that affects the arteries that supply blood to your heart. It is a progressive disease which means that it can develop over years, often with no obvious symptoms. There are several risk factors that may increase your risk of developing heart disease. The good news is that you can take steps at any age to reduce your modifiable risk factors.
What causes heart disease in women?
Causes of heart disease in women are much like the causes of heart disease for all individuals. There are different types of risk factors for heart disease. Some are genetic or caused by other medical conditions. Others are caused by lifestyle factors and may be preventable or reversed.
While some risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, are the same for everyone, others pose a higher risk for women than men.
Diabetes, stress, smoking and even a family history of heart disease may pose a greater risk of heart disease in women than in men.3
Heart disease symptoms in Women
Symptoms of heart disease in women include the traditional symptoms individuals experience, but women may also experience additional unique symptoms in addition.
Heart disease symptoms in Women
Symptoms of heart disease in women include the traditional symptoms individuals experience, but women may also experience additional unique symptoms in addition.
Heart Disease Risk Factors
Heart Disease Risk Factors
In Australia, more than 90% of women have one or more modifiable CVD risk factors, and half have at least two or three. There may also be female specific life events that can increase risk of heart disease.
Female specific life events that can increase risk of heart disease
There are female specific life events that can impact risk of developing heart disease.3 Improved knowledge around these life events, and the risks associated with such, are important to help manage overall heart health.
Pregnancy
- Increased risk of CVD for women who experience hypertensive and metabolic complications of pregnancy3
- Women with pre-eclampsia have twice the risk of heart disease to women without3
- Gestational diabetes increases risk of heart disease, and a significant proportion of this increased risk may be attributed to the fact that more than 50% of those who develop gestational diabetes go on to be diagnosed with chronic type 2 diabetes mellitus (an independent risk factor for heart disease)3
- A major risk factor for CVD is obesity – in Australia almost half of mothers who gave birth were overweight or obese6
Hormonal Factors
- Oestrogens are believed to be cardio-protective. Studies have suggested that decreasing levels during and post menopause may contribute to higher rates of heart disease seen in post-menopausal women3
- Early menarche, early menopause, earlier age at first birth, history of miscarriage, stillbirth, or hysterectomy, are each independently associated with a higher risk of CVD in later life3
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome is associated with a heightened risk of CVD, particularly coronary artery disease3
Exposure to breast cancer treatments
- A number of breast cancer treatments can increase your risk of developing heart disease.3 Anyone who has a history of breast cancer (or in fact any cancer) and is concerned about their heart health should discuss a referral to a cardio-oncology clinic with their GP
- Managing your heart health before, during and after cancer treatment is integral in reducing long term risk
Heart disease has long been considered a “man’s” disease. Due to this perception there is a lack of risk factor awareness and prioritisation, with women often having poorer outcomes with heart disease than males.3
What contributes to this difference in outcomes?
An improvement in awareness around heart disease in women is needed at both a patient and healthcare professional level to improve outcomes. There are a number of factors that may contribute to these less favourable outcomes3:
- Stigma around heart disease being a “man’s” disease resulting in a lack of awareness
- Women being less likely to be proactive in having a heart health check or understanding the need to improve modifiable risk factors.
- Tendency for women to be monitoring the health of everyone around them that they neglect their own health, and are less likely to seek help quickly
- Lower guideline directed medications in women or referral for cardiac rehabilitation
- Women experiencing chest pain are more likely to have delayed presentation to the emergency department
- Women tend to develop symptoms of heart disease at a later stage than men4
How can individuals reduce risk of heart disease?
Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and eating a heart healthy diet can all help reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Read more about risk factors you can and can’t control here.
Taking note of any changes in how you feel, symptoms that come and go or continue for several days, feeling particularly tired, rundown or generally unwell is important if you want to stay heart healthy. Women over the age of 45 (30 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women) are entitled to an annual, Medicare-rebated Heart Health Check with their GP. This short, simple test can provide information about your heart health and help to prevent more serious issues.
If you are concerned about your heart health or want to know more about how to maintain a healthy heart and reduce your risk of heart disease, speak to your GP today.
Find your local Advara HeartCare centre
See your GP promptly if you’re experiencing any symptoms of heart disease
Useful links
Learn More: The different types of heart diseases
Related Article: Healthy hearts: How to support a partner with poor heart health
Disclaimer: This information is of a general nature. A dietician can help develop a plan for your individual needs or talk to your GP about local and national resources that can help you improve your heart health and help prevent heart disease.
References
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-deaths/deaths-in-australia/contents/summary: Accessed on 11/09/24.
- Chandrasekhar J, et al. International journal of women’s health, 2018; 10, p.267.
- Geraghty L, et al. Heart Lung and Circ 2021; 30:9-17
- Heart Research Australia, 2021. Available at https://www.heartresearch.com.au/heart-disease/women-and-heart-disease/: Accessed on 23 August 2021.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2010. Available at https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/men-women/women-heart-disease-cardiovascular-profile/contents/table-of-contents: Accessed on 23 August 2021.
- Parsonage WA., et al. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 2021; 30.1: 45-51.