Women and heart disease
"If it had been my husband having the
pain, not me, I’m sure someone might have thought of a possible
heart attack."
Karen, 40
There is a misconception that heart disease
affects only men, whereas it actually affects nearly as many
women. Heart disease and circulatory disease is in
fact the biggest killer of women in the
UK.
Research shows that women think breast cancer is a greater
threat to their health than heart disease. Yet women are
three times more likely to die of coronary heart disease (CHD) than breast
cancer.
Some women are at greater risk of CHD than
others too – for example, a higher than average number
of Pakistani women living in England die from CHD.
How can I tell if I'm having a heart attack?
There are a range of symptoms associated with
a heart attack.
Many women delay calling for an ambulance –
perhaps because they don’t always recognise the symptoms, or
because they don’t want to make a fuss or maybe because they don’t
believe they’re having a heart attack. If you
suspect that you or someone else is having a heart attack, don’t
delay. Call 999 immediately.
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Do my hormones protect me?
As a woman your hormones may give you some
protection against CHD up to the menopause.
Therefore before the age of 50 you are less likely to develop CHD
than a man, but after 60 the gap narrows.
It was previously thought that HRT provided
some protection against heart disease in menopausal women. Research
now shows this is not the case, so you shouldn't be put on HRT
just to help you reduce your risk of developing
heart disease.
Can I stop myself getting heart disease?
You can help to reduce your risk of developing heart disease
by:
If you are over 40 talk to
your GP about having a health
check to assess your risk of developing CHD.
I've got a heart problem already, what can I do?
If you have a heart problem, you'll probably have gone
for some tests
already, and may have been recommended some treatment.
You can still help to keep your heart healthy and reduce the
risk of further problems by taking your medicines as prescribed and by
following the advice above.
For more information see our booklet on
Women and heart disease.
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