What is Heart (Cardiovascular) Disease?
According to the CDC, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease in the U.S. is coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD develops slowly and causes the thickening and narrowing of the coronary arteries (the arteries that bring blood to the heart). A heart attack can occur due to the damaged or blocked arteries.
Heart disease also includes these other heart conditions: high blood pressure, cardiac arrest (heart attack), congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, peripheral artery disease, stroke and congenital heart disease. All of these heart conditions, including (CAD), cause diseased vessels, structural problems and blood clots.
What Is The Heart?
The heart is a muscular organ about the size of a fist. It is located just behind and slightly left of the breastbone. The heart has four chambers: two upper (right and left atrium) and two lower (right and left ventricle).
A cross-section of the heart and blood vessels (arteries in red, veins in blue)
Parts of the Heart (labeled)
What Are The 5 Primary Functions of the Heart?
Pumps blood, which contains oxygen and nutrients, to all parts of the body
Controls the rhythm and speed of heart rate
Maintains your blood pressure
The right side of the heart receives oxygen-poor blood from the veins and pumps it to the lungs to pick up oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide
The left side of the heart receives oxygen-rich blood from your lungs and pumps it through the arteries to the rest of the body
A Research Study of Aging Hearts
In 2015, a research study of MRI scans of aging male and female hearts was published online in the journal of Radiology. The study was led by John Hopkins University. The MRI scans show that male and female hearts grow old differently in the following ways:
In both sexes, the left ventricle (the main chamber of the heart) gets smaller with time. A smaller ventricle results in less blood entering the heart and less blood pumped out to the rest of the body
In men, the heart muscle that encircles the main chamber (left ventricle) grows bigger and thicker with age
In women, the heart muscle that encircles the main chamber (left ventricle) retains its size or gets somewhat smaller.
How The Female Heart Is Different
A women's heart is smaller than a man's heart
A woman's heart pumps faster but ejects less blood than a man's heart
A woman's heart walls are thinner and veins are finer than a man's heart
In women, stress causes the pulse to rise and the heart to pump more blood. The pulse is the number of times the heart beats per minute (the heart rate). The pulse can also indicate the heart rhythm (controlled by electrical signals)
In men, stress causes the arteries to constrict and blood pressure to rise
7 Main Causes of Heart Disease
1. Diet
Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods such as breads, cereals and pastas
Eat more low protein foods such as lean meat, poultry, fish, low-fat dairy products and eggs
Eat more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive, canola, vegetable and nut oils, avocados, nuts and seeds
Eat less refined and processed foods and fast foods
Eat less sodium (salt) and saturated fats such as butter, hydrogenated margarine and shortening
2. Lifestyle
Eat a Healthy Diet
Exercise & Stay Active Every Day
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Don't Smoke
Limit Alcohol Intake
Reduce Stress
Manage Blood Pressure, Diabetes and Cholesterol
3. Ageing
Blood vessels can stiffen during normal ageing
Systolic blood pressure rises with age
Heart beats slower during physical activity
Plague builds up in arteries as we age
4. Genetics
Risks may increase when there is a family history of heart disease
Family members are encouraged to get regular screenings for risk factors
5. Smoking
Causes the blood in arteries to thicken and form blood clots
Increases plague buildup in blood vessels
6. Diabetes
High glucose levels can damage blood vessels
Increases the chance of heart disease at an earlier age
7. Gender
Women risk factors for heart disease are diabetes, depression, sustained stress
Men risk factors for heart disease are low testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction
Women are more at risk for a stroke due to high blood pressure during pregnancy, hormonal medications and a longer life expectancy
Women may be unaware of heart disease concerns and have unique risk factors and symptoms
Men develop heart disease at a younger age and have a higher risk of heart attack but women are more likely to die from heart attack
Women Are More At Risk For Heart Disease
Women symptoms often are different from a man's symptoms
Women may be diagnosed less often with heart disease
Women's hearts are smaller and pump faster
Women may not feel the crushing chest pain of a heart attack but may describe it as chest pressure, aching or tightness
Women symptoms may occur while resting or while asleep
Women are less likely to receive preventative treatment, guidance or lifestyle changes for their heart health
Women have a tendency to downgrade symptoms
Women may have many symptoms but will generally describe symptoms as "I don't feel well"
Women are more likely to have a heart attack because of vague symptoms or no symptoms at all
The risk of a heart attack increases after menopause
Symptoms of Heart Disease That Women May Overlook
Fatigue
Feeling a sense of dread
Sweating
Lightheaded
Dizziness
Shortness of breath
Nausea
Pain (jaw, neck, shoulder, arms, abdomen, back)
Deep fatigue and disturbed sleep a month or two before heart attack
How To Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Get an annual physical exam
Eat a healthy diet
Exercise regularly
Maintain a healthy weight
Don't smoke
Avoid or limit alcohol
Manage your stress
Diagnosis and Treatment of Heart Disease
How Heart Disease is Diagnosed
Physical Exam
Blood Tests
Cardiovascular Diagnostic & Screening Tests (such as EKG/ECG (electrocardiogram), chest x-ray, cardiac MRI)
What Are The Treatments for Heart Disease
Lifestyle Changes
Medications
Surgery
Cardiovascular disease in women remains under-recognized and under-treated. Research studies of heart disease are identifying the gender differences that will improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment in men and women.
