Many heart conditions in women go undiagnosed.
A cardiologist prescribes Knowridge said: “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 dismissed or misdiagnosed.”
“Despite the medical advances we have made, one thing has not changed enough: heart disease in women is still underrecognized. I think it is very important to change that,” the expert added.
This meant that the warning signs we heard about – like severe 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 are just anxious or have a gut feeling that something is wrong. These signs are easy to miss.
“Understanding your symptoms and knowing that they may be related to your heart is a big step. When I ask women if they worry about their heart, many say ‘no’ because they didn’t think heart disease was something they had to worry about. That mentality leads to delays in diagnosis and care,” they wrote.
There are many reasons why women do not receive timely care. Their symptoms do not always correspond to the “classic” picture. They often put others first, especially mothers and caregivers.
“Shockingly, only half of women even know that heart disease is their biggest health risk. That’s a big reason why many don’t bring it up during regular checkups. We need to change this, and we also need women to feel empowered to speak out,” the statement on the blog said.
It continued: “I always tell my patients: You know your body better than anyone. Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it. Say clearly what you feel. Don’t hesitate to ask questions like, ‘Could this be my heart?’, ‘Can we check the risk factors for my heart?’, or ‘Can I consult 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 (as in the Mediterranean diet), control blood pressure and cholesterol, maintain a healthy weight, know their family history, manage stress and get enough sleep,” the cardiologist concluded on heart health.
