Heart Disease Indicators for Women Are Often Ignored

Heart Disease is the number one killer of women, taking 1 out of 3 women’s lives each year.1 One woman dies every 80 seconds from cardiovascular disease.

Men and women have different signs and symptoms when it comes to stroke and heart attack. Women’s symptoms often get ignored or are attributed to another condition.

Female Heart Attack Symptoms
• Excessive sweating
• Sleep disturbances
• Shortness of breath
• Jaw pain
• Shoulder pain
• Upper back pain
• Neck pain
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Fatigue

It’s not uncommon to hear stories about women who appear healthy and have no significant symptoms yet suffer from stroke or a heart attack.

Dr. Jason C. Levine, Interventional Cardiologist, recently saw a female patient with a similar story.

“It was an unusual case in the sense that this patient was a female in her 40s with no risk factors and lived a very healthy lifestyle.” Dr. Levine explained, “She ate a healthy diet, exercised regularly, and appeared to be extremely healthy.

“While working-out one day in the gym, she just felt like something was off. She didn’t have the classic symptoms, such as the sensation of an elephant on her chest, numbness in the arm, pain in the jaw, or any other common warning indicators.

“She said she felt tired and “off-kilter” and knew something was wrong. Her friend encouraged her to go to the hospital. Once I saw her, we performed an electrocardiogram, which suggested that she was having a heart attack. At this time, we emergently brought her in for a cardiac catheterization. These images show intricate details of the arteries within the heart. She had a blockage that required a procedure where we placed a stent in the heart to open up the artery and allow adequate blood flow. We put her on medication to help impede the formation of plaque buildup in the arteries, and she will now need to see a cardiologist regularly to monitor her symptoms.

Because she didn’t have hypertension, high cholesterol, and no lifestyle risk factors like smoking, excessive alcohol, poor nutrition, or a sedentary lifestyle, it’s an unusual case. This patient was unaware of any family history of blockages or heart disease, so we’re uncertain if that affected her disease state.

“40% of women with heart attacks may have little or no symptoms. If you feel a bit off, exhausted, or anything abnormal, you should see your physician or go to the hospital if you have a major issue. Don’t ignore your symptoms or your sense of feeling unwell.”

The American Heart Association’s 10 Facts About Women and Heart1

1. Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined, and yet only 44% of women recognize that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health threat.

2. Among females 20 years and older, nearly 45% are living with some form of cardiovascular disease, and less than 50% of women entering pregnancy in the United States have good heart health.

3. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of new moms and accounts for over on-third of maternal deaths. Black women have some of the highest maternal mortality rates.

4. Overall, 10% to 20% of women will have a health issue during pregnancy, and high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes during pregnancy greatly increase a woman’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life.

5. Going through menopause does not cause cardiovascular disease, but the approach of menopause marks a point in midlife when women’s cardiovascular risk factors can accelerate, making an increased focus on health during this pivotal life stage is crucial.

6. Most cardiac and stroke events can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes, such as moving more, eating smart, and managing blood pressure.

7. 51.9% of high blood pressure deaths, otherwise known as hypertension or the “silent killer,” are in women, and out of all women, 57.6% of Black females have hypertension — more than any other race or ethnicity.

8. While there are an estimated 4.1 million female stroke survivors living today, approximately 57.5% of total stroke deaths are in women.

9. Women are often less likely to receive bystander CPR because rescuers often fear accusations of inappropriate touching, sexual assault, or injuring the victim.

10. Women continue to be underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, as well as in research. In fact, women occupy nearly half of all U.S. jobs (48%) but only 27% of jobs in STEM fields. Furthermore, only 38% of participants in clinical cardiovascular trials are women.

More on Heart Disease
Heart disease is the narrowing of the arteries over time due to a buildup of plaque that can, in some cases, cause a complete blockage of the blood vessels or coronary arteries.

When hormones are out of balance, additional factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and weight gain may coincide. The same can be said for stress and anxiety. If stress or depression is left unmanaged, it can lead to adverse effects on the cardiovascular system.

Living a healthy lifestyle is critical, but if you have a history of heart disease or a history of lifestyle choices that may have damaged your cardiovascular system, getting a screening or certain procedures is advised. These can include blood tests, stress tests, EKGs, Holter monitors, vascular ultrasounds, and scans.

Many people with heart disease are placed on medications such as ACE inhibitors, alpha-beta blockers, and cholesterol-lipid-lowering drugs.

Seeing a cardiologist is imperative if you have heart disease, symptoms, or a family history of cardiovascular issues.

Dr. Levine is now accepting new patients aged 18 and older. Most major insurance plans are accepted.

BayCare Medical Group
620 10th St. N., Suite 2A
St. Petersburg, FL 33705
(727) 824-8243

Jason C. Levine, MD, RPVI
Interventional Cardiologist

Dr. Jason Levine is an interventional cardiologist with BayCare Medical Group. He is board certified in cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology, and nuclear cardiology. He diagnoses and treats heart diseases, including coronary artery disease, heart rhythm disorders, ischemic cardiomyopathy, valve stenosis, thrombosis, AFIB and peripheral vascular disease. As an interventional cardiologist, Dr. Levine performs heart catheterizations, places stents, and performs vascular interventions including balloon angioplasty.

Education:
Doctor of Medicine – Upstate Medical University at Syracuse, Syracuse Medical Center; Syracuse, New York

Residency
Internal Medicine – Winthrop University Hospital; Mineola, New York

Fellowships
• Cardiology – University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey; Newark, New Jersey
• Interventional Cardiology – University of
Maryland School of Medicine; Baltimore,
Maryland

References:
1. American Heart Association, Go Red for Women, Heart and
Stroke Symptoms in Women, https://www.goredforwomen.org/
en/about-heart-disease-in-women/facts