Reason behind women's poor heart health revealed

Many women’s heart conditions go undiagnosed.

A cardiologist writing for Knowridge mentioned, “I see it happen far too often: women come to us later than they should, sometimes after weeks or even months of strange symptoms that were brushed off or wrongly diagnosed.”

“Despite the medical progress we’ve made, one thing hasn’t changed enough—heart disease in women is still under-recognized. I care deeply about changing that,” the expert added.

This meant that the warning signs we learned about—like intense chest pain—were mostly true for men, not women. But women often experience different symptoms. In her experience, women don’t always have that dramatic, crushing chest pain we often see in movies.

Instead, they may feel unusually tired, short of breath, nauseous, dizzy, or have discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.

Sometimes they just feel anxious or have a gut feeling that something is wrong. These signs are easy to miss.

“Understanding your symptoms and knowing that they could be related to your heart is a big step. When I ask women if they’re worried about their heart, many say ‘no’ because they didn’t think heart disease was something they had to worry about. That mindset leads to delays in diagnosis and care,” they wrote.

There are many reasons why women don’t get timely care. Their symptoms don’t always match the “classic” picture. They often put others first, especially mothers and caregivers.

“Shockingly, only half of women even know that heart disease is their number one health risk. That’s a big reason why many don’t bring it up during regular check-ups. We need to change this, and we also need women to feel empowered to speak up,” the statement on the blog read.

It continued, “I always tell my patients: you know your body better than anyone. Trust your instincts. If something feels off, don’t ignore it. Say clearly what you’re feeling. Don’t hesitate to ask questions like: ‘Could this be my heart?’, ‘Can we check my heart risk factors?’, or ‘Can I see a cardiologist?’”

“The best defense against heart disease is prevention. Small changes in daily life can make a big difference. I encourage all women to quit smoking, stay active, eat healthy foods (like in the Mediterranean diet), control blood pressure and cholesterol, keep a healthy weight, know their family history, manage stress, and get enough sleep,” the cardiologist concluded on heart health.