Women's Heart Attack Risk Higher: Beyond Chest Pain, Know 5 Key Facts
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News18•29-01-2026, 08:12
Women's Heart Attack Risk Higher: Beyond Chest Pain, Know 5 Key Facts
- •Women face a higher and often silent risk of heart disease, with causes extending beyond high blood pressure or cholesterol to include PCOS, pregnancy complications, autoimmune diseases, and premature menopause.
- •Estrogen protects women's hearts; its decline after menopause increases heart attack risk, especially after age 50, due to stiffening blood vessels and rising cholesterol.
- •Heart attack symptoms in women differ from men, often presenting as fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, or back/jaw pain instead of severe chest pain, leading to misdiagnosis.
- •Women commonly experience microvascular disease (small blood vessel issues), which may not show up on traditional angiography, making symptoms crucial for diagnosis.
- •Advanced diagnostics like MRI and PET scans are vital for detecting hidden heart disease in women, and Dr. Santosh Gupta emphasizes regular check-ups, diet, exercise, and stress management for heart health.
Why It Matters: Women have a higher, often silent, heart attack risk with different symptoms and causes than men.
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