Heart disease is enemy No. 1 when it comes to a woman’s health.  If this is news to you, you are not alone.  Although 65 percent of Americans surveyed believe that breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women, this dubious distinction rightly goes to cardiovascular disease, known as CVD. 

CVD encompasses a range of heart ailments that includes coronary artery disease and heart attack (myocardial infarction), heart muscle weakness and heart failure, and blockages in arteries that supply blood throughout the body.  CVD accounts for more deaths in women than breast cancer plus all other forms of cancer combined. Yet when surveyed, 4 out of 5 women are unaware of this fact. Why does such a misconception exist about the prevalence of CVD in women, and what is being done about it?

The traditional risk factors for heart disease are well recognized.  These include smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, increasing age and abnormal cholesterol.  Additional risk factors such as obesity and physical inactivity round out the list. 

An alarming rate of increase in these risk factors for women partly explains the fact that the death rate for women with CVD is actually rising when compared with men.  The trend toward weight gain in American society hasn’t spared women and a lack of any regular physical activity is reported in 25% of women.

Also, it can’t help that smoking rates among young women are actually rising according to studies, matching rates for young men, and adding an unwelcome twist to the old advertising slogan, “You’ve come a long way, baby!”

Recognizing that women are at substantial risk for CVD is only the first step.  Then comes the challenge of diagnosis and treatment.  Surprisingly, one in three primary care physicians is unaware that CVD is the leading cause of death in women and doctors are more likely to diagnose CVD in men than women. This may be due to the fact that women’s symptoms are often not typical.

Consider the following:  What do nausea, shortness of breath, and indigestion have in common?  They represent symptoms of heart disease that are more prevalent in women than men.  Doctors expecting to hear complaints about chest pain from their female patients with heart disease may be tuned to the wrong frequency when it comes to making the correct diagnosis.  

One might ask whether women are getting a fair shake at the doctor’s office.  Even following a diagnosis of CVD,  studies suggest that physicians are more likely to schedule coronary angiography (heart catheterization) and other treatments for CVD in men than in women.  This fact likely explains that women with known CVD fare worse than men in a similar predicament, and raises the specter of gender bias in the testing and treatment of heart disease in the US.

In response, federal agencies such as the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute have launched education efforts to correct misconceptions about the prevalence, symptoms and natural history of heart disease in women.  But there remains much room for improvement. 

If you’re wondering what you can do, consider this:

1)      Women and their doctors must remain vigilant for the symptoms of CVD.

2)      CVD in women can be detected through appropriate use of heart testing.

3)      Not all tests for CVD are equally effective or accurate in women. 

4)      Ask your doctor what tests would be most helpful for you

5)      When diagnosed, CVD in women must be treated promptly and seriously.

Advances in technology are now providing some welcome assistance.  A revolutionary outpatient 64-slice CT scan can detect the presence of coronary calcium in less than 10 minutes, and doesn’t require a doctor’s order, blood testing or an intravenous line, (see adjacent ad).  It is reassuring to note that a normal calcium score essentially rules out the presence of coronary disease. 

Remember to stay alert and informed about your personal risk factors for heart disease.  Talking with your physician about lifestyle changes and other treatments to modify these risk factors is a proven way to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.  As always, Heart Care Centers of Illinois remains committed to providing expert diagnosis and treatment for women who are concerned about heart disease. 

Heart Care Centers of Illinois has seven convenient locations in the south and southwest suburbs to tend to your cardiovascular health needs.  For further information contact Heart Care Centers of Illinois at 1 (888) 642-HCCI (4224) or visit our website at www.heartcarecenters.com