Heart Disease in Women
Source: MedlinePlus Health Topics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
What is heart disease? Heart disease is a general term that includes many types of heart problems. It's also called cardiovascular disease, which means heart and blood vessel disease. Coronary artery disease (also called coronary heart disease) is the most common type of heart disease in both men and women. It happens slowly over time when a sticky substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply your heart muscle with blood. The plaque narrows or blocks blood flow to the heart muscle and can lead to: Angina - chest pain from lack of blood flow Heart attacks - when part of the heart muscle dies from loss of blood flow Heart failure - when your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs Arrhythmia - a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat How does heart disease affect women? In the United States, heart disease is the number one cause of death in women. But women are often not diagnosed with heart disease as quickly as men are. That's because: Women are more likely than men to have "silent" heart disease, meaning that they don't have symptoms. Health care providers may not recognize heart disease in women because women's symptoms may be different from men's symptoms. Women are more likely than men to have certain types of heart disease that can be harder to diagnose. A delay in diagnosis may mean a delay in medical care that could help prevent serious problems, such as a heart attack. That's why it's important to learn about your risk for heart disease, the symptoms in women, and how to keep your heart healthy. What types of heart disease do women get? Women can get any type of heart disease. Like men, the most common type of heart disease among women is coronary artery disease. But there are certain types of heart disease which are less common, but affect women more often than men: Coronary microvascular disease - Chest pain from spasms (sudden tightening) in the smallest arteries of the heart that pinch off blood flow. It typica