Age
For women, age becomes a risk factor at 55. After
menopause, women are more likely to get
heart disease, in part, because their body's production of estrogen drops. Women who have gone through early menopause -- either naturally or because they have had a hysterectomy -- are twice as likely to develop
heart disease as women of the same age who have not yet gone through menopause. In addition, middle age is a time when women tend to develop additional
risk factors for heart disease.
Family History of Early Heart Disease
A family history of early heart disease is another risk factor that can't be changed. If your father or brother had a
heart attack before age 55, or if your mother or sister had one before age 65, you are more likely to develop heart disease yourself.
Women and Heart Disease Symptoms
For women,
heart disease symptoms may be different from those experienced by men. However, just like in men,
symptoms of heart disease do not always occur, especially in women with early heart disease. Symptoms will appear when the coronary arteries have been sufficiently clogged to cause a reduction in blood to the heart. At this point, a woman may experience one or several symptoms of heart disease, including:
- Chest pain or discomfort that may travel to the arm or jaw
- Burning sensation in the chest or upper abdomen
- Shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air)
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Faster heartbeats
- Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach)
- Irregular heartbeats
- Feeling very tired.
Often, the first symptom of heart disease a woman experiences is a heart attack.
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