Heart Health and Women: Understanding the Risk Factors

Heart Health and Women: Understanding the Risk Factors : Women face specific cardiovascular disease risks due to anatomical and hormonal variations. Instead of the traditional chest pain, women may also suffer nausea, exhaustion, or jaw and back pain. Women are more likely to have severe heart failure symptoms such as shortness of breath, exhaustion, and edema.

Furthermore, certain pregnancy-related disorders might raise the chance of developing heart disease later in life. To gain more understanding of the risk factors of heart disease in women, let us delve into them in this article.

Heart Disease in Women

Women typically encounter heart disease around a decade later than men, yet it remains the leading cause of death among women. The risk escalates after menopause due to a decline in protective estrogen levels. Women who enter menopause early, naturally or through hysterectomy, encounter double the risk of heart disease compared to same-aged women still menstruating. Often, risk factors like hypertension surface during middle age in women.

A significant uncontrollable risk factor for heart disease is preeclampsia, characterized by high blood pressure during pregnancy. It increases the likelihood of coronary heart disease later.

While you can’t modify this risk, it is crucial to vigilantly monitor blood pressure early and post-pregnancy and strive to mitigate other risk factors of heart disease.

Efforts towards adopting a healthier lifestyle, regular exercise, maintaining optimal weight, and a balanced diet could counterbalance this heightened risk.

Risk Factors for Women

Heart disease ranks as the top cause of mortality in women across numerous countries, making it critical to comprehend its risk factors for effective prevention and treatment. Many common risk factors for coronary artery disease, like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity, impact both genders. However, certain factors might have a more pronounced influence on heart disease development in women, including the following:

Menopause

Menopause and the subsequent drop in estrogen levels can raise heart disease risk in women. Estrogen shields the blood arteries in the heart. The risk of disorders affecting smaller blood arteries rises when this hormone’s production decreases after menopause.

Notably, this may result in coronary microvascular disease (MVD), more prevalent in women than men. Unlike typical heart disease, which affects the major arteries, MVD affects the smallest arteries in the heart.

Women with MVD frequently exhibit heart disease symptoms but normal coronary arteries on angiograms, thus under-diagnosing the problem and delaying treatment, which makes managing the condition difficult. Therefore, postmenopausal women must be exceptionally watchful for possible heart disease signs.

Diabetes

Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease in women more than in men. Hormonal changes can increase the risk after menopause, which makes it difficult to control blood sugar levels. According to data published in the Diabetologia journal in 2018, diabetic women are nearly five times more likely than men to have heart disease.

Consequently, regular medical check-ups and stringent diabetes management are paramount for women to prevent severe cardiac complications. In addition to lifestyle adjustments, medication plays a vital role in managing diabetes and, by extension, heart disease risk. If you are prescribed some medications, grab a BuzzRx coupon card to help you save on your medications.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for heart disease, sometimes known as hypertension. Over time, damage to artery walls from sustained high pressure might result in cardiac diseases. According to research, women are frequently more at risk from hypertension than men are. Because of hormonal changes following menopause, the frequency of high blood pressure in women considerably rises.

A study published in the Journal of Hypertension discovered that postmenopausal women have a 30–40% higher prevalence of hypertension than men. The risk of heart attacks, heart failure, and stroke increases when blood pressure is not regularly monitored and managed.

High Cholesterol

Cholesterol levels are critical in determining the risk of heart disease. High LDL or “bad” cholesterol contributes to artery-clogging plaque. Simultaneously, a low HDL, or “good” cholesterol level, leads to a less efficient cholesterol transport away from arteries. These dangers may be more significant for women.

Because of hormonal changes, postmenopausal women frequently have a rise in LDL and a reduction in HDL levels, increasing their risk of heart disease. According to the Framingham Heart Study, excessive cholesterol is more likely to cause heart disease in women than in males. As a result, women must monitor their cholesterol levels to avoid heart disease.

Obesity

Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in women. When you are overweight, your heart has to work more to give blood to your body, increasing blood pressure. Obesity is frequently associated with high cholesterol levels, another risk factor for heart disease.

Furthermore, obesity is associated with insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes and increase the risk of heart disease. According to a study published in The Lancet magazine, moderate obesity decreases life expectancy by roughly three years, while extreme obesity can shorten a person’s life by ten years, primarily owing to heart disease. As a result, keeping a healthy weight is vital to reduce these risks.

Physical Inactivity

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to heart disease. Physical inactivity can result in weight gain, high cholesterol, and hypertension, all risk factors for heart disease. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicated that lengthy durations of sitting were associated with a 14% increase in cardiovascular risk.

As a result, women must include regular physical exercise and minimize sitting hours to protect their heart health, maintain a healthy weight, and regulate blood pressure levels.

Stress and Depression

Stress and depression, especially in women, have shown a connection to an elevated risk of heart disease. Chronic stress causes a rise in heart rate and blood pressure, contributing to heart disease over time. The American Heart Association has acknowledged the link between depression and heart disease, recognizing depression as a risk factor.

According to studies, depression is more common in women. It raises the risk of developing heart disease due to harmful habits commonly linked with depression, such as alcohol consumption or a sedentary lifestyle. As a result, improving mental wellness is critical for women’s heart health.

Genetics/Family history

Family history plays an essential role in the risk of developing heart disease. Women are at a higher risk if their father or brother were diagnosed with heart disease before age 55 or their mother or sister before age 65. Inherited genetic features may raise susceptibility to risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

These factors all lead to an increased risk of getting heart disease. For example, research has found genes associated with familial hypercholesterolemia that significantly raise the risk of heart disease. However, lifestyle adjustments can help control this genetically determined risk factor in women.

Conclusion

Greater awareness and a proactive approach regarding lifestyle modification, early detection, and appropriate treatment strategies can go a long way in reducing women’s heart disease risk. As knowledge on this subject grows and evolves past traditional views, it will help you detect possible complications to improve your heart health.