Forget the myth that heart attacks mostly affect men: Women are more at risk than you might think

Forget the myth that heart attacks mostly affect men: Women are more at risk than you might think

Authored by: Dr Matthew Lee; BMSc, MBBS, MSc

Last reviewed: July 2024.

What's in this PocDoc Article:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) isn’t just a male problem 
• Symptoms of cardiovascular disease in women 
• Several common risk factors related to CVD affect both men and women
• PocDoc is bridging the gap in women’s health and cardiovascular disease
• Empowering Women with CVD health: Nur Fitness Spotlight 

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) isn’t just a male problem

CVD prematurely takes the lives of more than twice as many women in the UK as breast cancer ( before 75 years ). Despite the prevalence across both genders, cardiovascular disease is often viewed as a ‘man’s disease’, which often leads to a lack of awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and symptoms in women.

Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 killer of women across all ages. These figures make it clear that CVD is not just a ‘man’s disease’. PocDoc is committed to highlighting risk factors and symptoms in women to aid in the early detection and treatment of CVD in women.

Symptoms of cardiovascular disease in women

According to an article from Johns Hopkins, there are differences between heart disease in men and women. Women are much more likely to have unique heart attack symptoms than men. This is a significant challenge for diagnosing women with heart disease as they can develop symptoms that are subtler and harder to detect as a heart attack.

Classic symptoms of heart attacks, according to the American Heart Association (AHA)for men, include but is not limited to:

• Chest pain or squeezing chest pressure

• Jaw, neck or back pain

• Nausea or vomiting

• Shortness of breath

Women, in general, have a longer list of possible symptoms, which includes but is not limited to:

• Chest pain, but not in every case

• Pain or pressure in the lower chest or upper abdomen

• Jaw, neck or back pain

• Nausea or vomiting

• Shortness of breath

• Fainting

• Indigestion

Several common risk factors related to CVD affect both men and women

• Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH): Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a genetic condition, affects the body’s ability to process and remove cholesterol from the blood. Lipid-lowering therapies will help to reduce heart disease risk in those with FH.

• Physical Inactivity: Exercise increases "good" HDL cholesterol, which helps reduce non-HDL “bad” cholesterol. The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity weekly.

• Increased Alcohol Consumption: Consuming more alcohol elevates triglycerides and cholesterol levels in the blood. To lower CVD risk, the NHS advises limiting alcohol intake to no more than 14 units per week.

• Smoking and LDL Cholesterol: Smoking makes "bad" LDL cholesterol stickier, contributing to blocked arteries. Quitting smoking increases HDL cholesterol, which helps remove unwanted LDL cholesterol.

• Dietary Choices: A diet high in saturated fats raises cholesterol levels. Unsaturated fats will help to boost HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol.

However, some additional CVD risk factors predominantly affect women yet have not been given the air-time and publicity they deserve, include:

• Menopause: A study by Heart Research UK revealed that 58% of women did not know that their risk of developing heart disease increases after menopause due to the decrease in oestrogen levels. If you are experiencing menopause, regular heart health checks with the PocDoc Healthy Heart Check are a convenient way to check your heart health.

• Pregnancy: Women who experience complications during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia and diabetes, are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. The study also revealed that women’s risk of developing CVD increases by 45% if they had high blood pressure during pregnancy and by 70% if they had pre-eclampsia.

• Diabetes: The American Heart Association revealed that women with diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease compared to men. Increased blood sugar levels from diabetes can damage blood vessels, leading to blockages and an elevated heart attack risk.

• Breast Cancer: A UK Biobank study reported that individuals who have survived cancer have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Hormonal therapy medication for breast cancer has also been associated with are thought to lead to this increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

For a more in-depth look at CVD risk factors, read our article on “Understanding PocDoc Lipid Test Results”

PocDoc is bridging the gap in women’s health and cardiovascular disease

Regular heart health screenings are a crucial way to detect and monitor CVD risk factors, aiding in early treatment and prevention. The PocDoc Healthy Heart Check is a convenient and accessible way for women to be in control of their health through monitoring their own heart health.

With PocDoc, women can:

• Conduct their own heart health check, equivalent to the NHS health check, from the comfort of their home.

• Receive their results in under 10 minutes.

• Receive a detailed report of their health, including their full cholesterol panel, heart health age and 10-year risk of a heart attack or stroke, and QRISK score with NHS guideline recommendations.

Empowering Women: Nur Fitness Spotlight

PocDoc has partnered with various organizations to increase the uptake in heart health screenings in women, including Nur Fitness. Here are some of the testimonials from Nur Fitness:

The PocDoc Healthy Heart Check was not only well received in the community and successfully identified women who are at high risk of CVD, prompting them to get early treatment.

If you are interested in conducting your own heart health screening, the PocDoc Healthy Heart Check is available for purchase here.