Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Hidden Symptoms of a Heart Attack

What does the latest research show about symptoms of heart disease in women?
We've uncovered something called "microvascular coronary dysfunction."

[Editor's note: Women have narrower coronary arteries than men, and they have more microvascular disease, blockages of the tiniest blood vessels.]

Women present with persistent, sometimes disabling chest discomfort. They have an abnormal stress test, but when they have an angiogram ^[1], [it shows] the arteries are open.

We really put this on the radar as something that takes lives – and it's more prevalent in women.

We're doing studies on the best ways to diagnose and treat it.

If doctors aren't aware of this, what should a woman do if her symptoms are being dismissed?
If a woman is told by her physician or cardiologist that it's "all in her head" – that it must be her gallbladder or stomach, or she's hysterical – it is possible that she has microvascular coronary dysfunction.

She should seek a health-care provider who's willing to entertain that thought, or go to a high-quality women's heart center. [Here's a list of Women's Heart Centers around the country.]

What are the major causes of heart disease in women?
There are five traditional risk factors: cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and family history – that is, a close relative who had cardiovascular disease (including heart attack, stroke, angioplasty or bypass) before age 60.