February was Heart Health Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular disease in our community and around the world. Despite how common it is, heart disease in women continues to be misunderstood, underdiagnosed and undertreated. Throughout the month, the focus was on increasing awareness, closing gaps in care and improving heart health outcomes for people of all ages.
Cardiovascular disease can present in many different ways in different people. Women experience heart disease differently than men. In men, symptoms tend to be more classical, such as chest pain or pressure, pain radiating to the neck and jaw and shortness of breath. Symptoms in women can be more subtle and include shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, nausea, dizziness, pain in the neck or jaw, indigestion, nausea, abnormal sweating and chest discomfort and pressure. These signs may be overlooked or attributed to other factors such as stress, GI duress or pulmonary issues. In many cases, the lack of awareness in both men and women can delay or prevent life-saving measures. In February, we aimed to empower each person to recognize symptoms early and advocate for timely further evaluation and treatment.
A woman's heart health is influenced by unique risk factors, including pregnancy-related conditions such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, autoimmune disorders, hormone changes across the lifespan and also traditional risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity and family history. Understanding your personal risk and prioritizing preventive care are critical steps in protecting long-term cardiovascular health.
We hope to bring renewed attention to the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and evaluating for it before it causes a poor outcome. Screening tests. such as a calcium score and advanced lipid biomarkers have become a mainstay of understanding, preventing and treating cardiovascular disease prior to a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, stroke or sudden death. Screening tests and evaluations only work to reduce poor cardiovascular outcomes if patients seek cardiovascular consultation. We recommend being your own self-advocate to make an appointment for a cardiovascular consultation to find and treat a problem before it causes a major life event.