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| source : weillcornell.org |
If there’s one health topic I wish we talked about more openly, and earlier, it’s this: heart disease in women. I’ll be honest, I used to think heart attacks were mostly a “guy problem.” I imagined an older man clutching his chest, not a 40-year-old mom juggling deadlines and dinner. But that’s just one of the myths that desperately needs breaking.
After diving deep into research and listening to stories from cardiologists and patients alike, here’s what I’ve learned, and what every woman (and anyone who loves one) should know.
1. More Younger Women Are Facing Heart Disease
Yep, it’s not just your grandparents anymore. Over the past two decades, there’s been a noticeable spike in heart attacks among women aged 35 to 54. Some experts believe it might be linked to increasing stress, lifestyle shifts, and rising rates of conditions like obesity and high blood pressure.
Bottom line: It’s not just about age anymore, even younger women need to start paying attention.
2. Heart Disease Doesn’t Always Look the Same in Women
For a long time, we focused only on blocked arteries. But now we know women can experience different heart issues, like microvascular disease (tiny blood vessel dysfunction), coronary vasospasm (a sudden narrowing of arteries), or SCAD (a tear in a heart vessel that can cause a heart attack).
Bottom line: The symptoms and underlying causes can be unique to women, and they’re often overlooked.
3. Symptoms Can Be Way More Subtle
Sure, chest pain is the classic sign, but many women don’t feel it. Instead, they might experience nausea, back or jaw pain, severe fatigue, or just an overwhelming shortness of breath.
From what I’ve read and heard: Many women delay getting help because the symptoms don’t match what we’ve seen in movies. If something feels off, trust your gut and get checked.
4. Sometimes, You Have to Speak Up for Your Own Care
It’s frustrating, but studies show women are often treated less aggressively than men when they show up at the ER with heart symptoms. They wait longer, get fewer tests, and are sometimes not taken seriously.
Tip: Don’t hesitate to be firm. Say something like, “I’m concerned about my heart. I want it thoroughly checked.”
5. Your Life Story Can Influence Your Heart Risk
Autoimmune conditions (like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis), cancer treatments, depression, and even birth control pills can all raise your heart disease risk. These aren’t always discussed during your check-ups, so bring them up proactively.
6. Pregnancy? It’s Basically a Heart Stress Test
Conditions like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and high blood pressure during pregnancy are now seen as red flags for future heart disease. If you had any of these, you need to tell your doctor, even years later.
Hard truth: Pregnancy may end, but its effects on your heart don’t just vanish.
7. Your Heart Is Still Healing After Delivery
Heart complications are actually a leading cause of maternal death in the U.S. especially in the months after giving birth. Things like peripartum cardiomyopathy (a type of heart failure) can sneak in quietly.
So please: Keep your postpartum check-ups, and don’t ignore any new symptoms.
8. Menopause Changes the Game
Estrogen helps protect the heart, so once levels drop (especially with early menopause), the risk for cardiovascular disease goes up.
It’s not just hot flashes and mood swings, menopause is a turning point for your long-term heart health.
So, How Do We Actually Protect Our Hearts?
It’s not all doom and gloom. Here’s what most doctors, including Dr. Jennifer Haythe, who leads the Women’s Heart Center at Columbia, recommend:
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Get an annual checkup. Even if you feel fine.
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Move your body. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week (walking counts).
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Eat smart. The Mediterranean diet is still queen: whole grains, veggies, healthy fats, lean protein.
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Sleep like it’s your job. 7–9 hours. Non-negotiable.
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Breathe. Meditation, yoga, or journaling can help reduce stress (which is directly linked to heart risk).
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Quit smoking. Or don’t start. Period.
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Know your family history. It matters more than you think.
Final Thought
If you take one thing away from this, let it be this: Heart disease is not just a man’s issue. It’s not just an “old” person’s issue. It’s a you issue, and that’s not meant to scare you, but to empower you.
Because here’s the good news: up to 80% of cardiovascular diseases are preventable. So the sooner we tune into our heart’s needs, the better chance we have to live longer, stronger, and healthier lives.