DR MAX PEMBERTON: Heart disease is the hidden killer of women over 40. It’s alarming doctors often miss these symptoms. It kills twice as many women as breast cancer. But you can improve your odds
Cardiovascular disease is a major but often overlooked health risk for women, particularly after the menopause. The article argues that mistaken beliefs about heart disease being mainly a man’s problem, alongside symptoms being missed or misdiagnosed, can delay treatment and cost lives.
The article says CVD causes about 170,000 deaths a year in the UK, and more than eight million people live with it, including over four million women. It notes that coronary heart disease kills more than twice as many women as breast cancer, and that women are 50 per cent more likely than men to receive the wrong initial diagnosis after a heart attack. Early CVD can have no symptoms; warning signs can include chest tightness, breathlessness, nausea, sweating, light-headedness and pain in the arm, jaw, neck or back, while risk can be reduced through lifestyle changes and early medical attention.
In short
- Heart disease poses a major risk to women, especially after menopause.
- Coronary heart disease kills more than twice as many women as breast cancer.
- Early symptoms can be subtle, but many risk factors can be changed.
Explained simply
Cardiovascular disease is a group of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels; coronary heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack, is one of them. It affects millions of people in the UK, including more than four million women, and its risk can rise after the menopause.
Heart disease is often associated with men, but it is a major cause of illness and death among women too. Symptoms can include chest tightness, breathlessness, nausea, sweating or pain in the arm, jaw, neck or back, and they may be mistaken for other problems. Some people have no early symptoms, so recognising possible warning signs and seeking medical advice matters.
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