Women are still insufficiently aware of complaints that may indicate heart problems. Research has shown that women aged 35 and older are more likely than men to have vague symptoms that may indicate a heart attack. However, women are relatively less likely to go to the doctor. Certain cardiovascular diseases develop differently in women than in men and are difficult to recognize, even by doctors. Heart complaints can also be atypical and more vague in women than in men. For example, the symptoms of a heart attack are sometimes confused in women with stress or the menopause. Disorders of the smallest blood vessels can lead to general complaints such as shortness of breath or fatigue. In addition, there is still little awareness of women-specific risk factors, such as severely elevated blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy. It is possible that 'general risk factors' such as smoking and diabetes have a much greater impact on the development of cardiovascular disease in women than in men.
Below are the facts &figures of cardiovascular disease in women.
The woman's heart
Did you know that…
• … your heart is about the size of your own fist?
• … a woman's heart is smaller and lighter than a man's heart?
• … the diameter of the blood vessels are also slightly smaller in women than in men?
Heart complaints in women sometimes more vague
• Women sometimes have less clear signals than men in heart complaints. In addition, complaints such as fatigue and shortness of breath are also symptoms that may indicate another problem. For example, consider the transition. As a result, the diagnosis is more often missed in this group of women. Both the GP and the women themselves do not initially think of heart complaints.
• Women have complaints relatively more often than men that may indicate an (impending) heart attack. Examples include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath and palpitations.
Smallest blood vessels in the heart
• The smallest blood vessels ensure the transfer of oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle.
• Disorders of the smallest blood vessels in the heart are more common in women than in men.
• It is now often difficult for doctors to find out whether the cause lies in the small blood vessels in the heart. They cannot view these blood vessels from the inside through a thin tube – a catheter – as they can with the larger blood vessels.
Pregnancy and cardiovascular disease
• Women with extremely high blood pressure and protein in the urine during pregnancy (preeclampsia, HELPP) have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease later in life.
• Women with diabetes during their pregnancy are subsequently more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. This also increases their risk of cardiovascular disease.
Menopause and cardiovascular disease
• Until menopause, women have much more of certain female hormones (oestrogens) in their blood than men.
• After the menopause, the amount of estrogen in the blood decreases. The risk of cardiovascular disease increases.
• Women who enter the menopause before the age of 40 (technical term POI) may have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Figures
• Cardiovascular diseases are one of the main causes of death among women:1 in 4 women dies from this.
• In the Netherlands, an estimated 670,000 women live with a chronic cardiovascular disease.
• In the Netherlands, more than 100,000 women with a cardiovascular disease are admitted to hospital every year and more than 32,000 women are admitted to the hospital every year.
• More than 20,000 women die each year from a cardiovascular disease (an average of 56 women per day and 50 men).
• More women than men die from cardiovascular disease.
• Women die from cardiovascular disease at a higher average age than men.
