Heart disease has been on the rise in women over the past decade, especially in younger women. Every year, more women than men die from heart disease. Yet, many women don’t realize how serious the risk is. Even worse, their heart problems are often missed or misdiagnosed, leading to dangerous delays in treatment.
Dr. Nisha Jhalani, a heart disease expert at Columbia University, explains that heart disease is the number one cause of death for women. But many women can’t name the risk factors and don’t know how at-risk they really are. She says that both studies and real-life conversations with patients have shown just how unaware many women are of their heart health.
Part of the problem is that much of what doctors know about heart disease comes from older studies done mostly in men. In fact, most of the treatment guidelines we still use today are based on research from the 1990s—research that included very few women.
Even now, only about 30% of people in heart studies are women. This is a big problem because women’s symptoms often look different from men’s.
Men with heart disease often feel strong chest pain, which is the classic symptom. But women may have very different signs. They might feel short of breath, nauseous, very tired, or just “off.”
These symptoms are often called “atypical,” meaning they’re not the ones doctors are usually trained to look for. As a result, women’s symptoms can be brushed off as anxiety or digestive problems.
Many women also hesitate to seek help. They may feel embarrassed or worry they’re making too big a deal out of their symptoms. Some wait too long, even when they feel something is seriously wrong. But delaying care can be dangerous, and in some cases, life-threatening.
Dr. Jhalani points out that “heart disease in women is just not the same as in men.” A woman’s heart behaves differently, and we need to treat it differently too.
The good news is that around 90% of heart disease can be prevented by making healthier choices. That means eating better, getting regular exercise, sleeping well, quitting smoking, and keeping up with doctor visits. Jhalani believes that these simple steps give people the power to take charge of their heart health.
Stress is another important factor. During the pandemic, many people—especially women—faced long periods of stress. Although scientists are still studying exactly how stress affects the heart, it’s already clear that too much stress is harmful.
Some women are at higher risk for heart problems because of other health issues. These include autoimmune diseases and complications during pregnancy, like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. Shockingly, only about 1 in 10 women diagnosed with heart problems during pregnancy ever follow up with a doctor, and even fewer see a heart specialist.
To address this, doctors at Columbia are working together across departments. Heart specialists and OB/GYNs are teaming up to monitor symptoms during and after pregnancy to catch problems early.
Dr. Jhalani encourages all women to take their heart health seriously. She says the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to go to the doctor, get regular checkups, and follow up if something doesn’t feel right. Encouraging friends and family to do the same could help save lives.
Heart disease doesn’t always look the same in women—but that doesn’t make it any less dangerous. With better awareness, earlier detection, and simple lifestyle changes, women can take control of their heart health and live longer, healthier lives.
If you care about heart health, please read studies that vitamin K helps cut heart disease risk by a third, and a year of exercise reversed worrisome heart failure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about supplements that could help prevent heart disease, stroke, and results showing this food ingredient may strongly increase heart disease death risk.
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