Do Ovarian Cysts Always Require Removal?
Ovarian cysts may sound like a serious reproductive health condition, but in fact, they’re common and usually not symptomatic, and often disappear over time. You may never know you’ve had a cyst.
What Women Should Know About Their Heart Health (pegged to Heart Health Month)
February was American Heart Month, an annual event to raise awareness about the country’s leading cause of death. As we move into March, we’d like to pinpoint what women should know about their heart health.
Gynecologist John A. Whitfield, MD, provides long-term care for women through their reproductive years and into menopause. Since heart health is such a key to wellness, Dr. Whitfield and his team feel that it’s important to remind our patients that heart disease affects women differently than men.
To help you educate yourself on these differences, we’ve prepared this month’s blog to help start the process. More than 44% of women in the United States live with some form of heart disease. It’s important to know the signs.
Types of heart disease
While both women and men share the same types of heart conditions, the symptoms aren’t always the same. Let’s look first at the major forms of heart disease.
- Arrhythmia: your heartbeat is irregular, too slow, or too fast, such as with atrial fibrillation
- Coronary artery disease: the most common form that’s more of a risk for women due to the contribution of extreme hormonal changes
- Heart failure: when the heart becomes too weak to adequately supply your body with enough blood
These diseases of the heart sometimes cause symptoms that are more prevalent or unique for women.
Symptoms of heart health problems
Heart attacks show in both women and men with symptoms like:
- Back pain
- Chest pain
- Angina
Women are more likely to experience these additional symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Excessive and persistent fatigue or tiredness
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Pain in the jaw, neck, or throat
- Sweating
Women are more likely than men to mistake heart attack symptoms for other conditions or illnesses.
Other unique female heart attack characteristics
Emotional stress can serve as a heart attack trigger in women, and it’s more common for women to have symptoms when they’re resting or sleeping.
The way women suffer arterial blockages in a different way too. Men tend to suffer blockages in the major arteries of the heart while women may develop small vessel heart disease, also called coronary microvascular disease.
Women are also more likely to suffer a heart attack without a severe coronary artery blockage, a condition called nonobstructive coronary artery disease.
Know the risk factors
Certain activities, conditions, and lifestyle choices increase your risk of developing heart disease. Understanding your level of risk could help you recognize some of the vague symptoms of heart attack for what they are, improving your chances for prompt treatment.
Some of the chief heart disease risk factors that are unique to women, or that affect women more include:
- Tobacco use: smoking is potentially more harmful for women
- Depression and stress: these play a larger role for women in heart health
- Diabetes: increases heart disease more for women than for men
- Pregnancy complications
- Menopause
- Family history
Your overall wellness is a priority for Dr. Whitfield and his team. Call our Fort Worth office at 817-927-2229 to book your next visit today.
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