Hidden Signs of Heart Trouble for Women

A Woman’s “Secret Signs” of Heart Troubler
When I talk to patients, I’m surprised by how many women think of heart trouble as a “man’s issue.” For several generations, that may have been true. But it isn’t any longer.
Women account for almost half the serious heart events recorded each year. And – just as for men – heart trouble is the #1 killer among women.
But there are some differences… and knowing these differences could save your life.
For one, women are less likely to recognize when they’re experiencing a serious heart event. And they’re slower than men to seek medical help.
The problem may be that women often don’t experience the classic signs of heart trouble. For example, the National Institute of Nursing Research found that less than half of women experience pressure or pain in the chest.
The most common signs of heart trouble in the women they surveyed were… well, common. Unusual fatigue and trouble sleeping were the top signs. And it’s easy to see how you could overlook them.
Women are also more likely than men to feel short of breath, anxious or as if they have a bad case of indigestion. For many people, these may not seem too serious.
As a result, women are 13% more likely to die from a serious heart event than men. And twice as likely to have a second serious event within 6 years.
Even doctors can miss serious heart events in women. Men’s hearts usually lose some pumping ability, but women’s hearts often don’t. And women often don’t show telltale blockages on angiograms – a special type of x-ray used to study blood vessels.
As you can imagine, this makes spotting heart problems more difficult. But we’re discovering some of the reasons for these differences.
At a recent meeting of the American Physiological Society, Califo
ia researchers revealed one of these differences. They found that men tend to have blockages in large arteries… but women may experience blockages of much smaller blood vessels.1 These small blockages may not show up on traditional tests, but they add up to the same problem.
The answer, according to a study published in Circulation, may be replacing the traditional angiogram for women. These researchers recently found that ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging – MRI – can detect problems too small to be spotted on an angiogram.2
Women are also more likely than men to suffer with weak or brittle bones. And recent research shows this may be a red flag for serious heart trouble.
Your body uses a protein called osteoprotegerin (OPG) in the bone-rebuilding process. But studies link high levels of OPG with brittle bones… and a greater risk of clogged arteries and heart trouble.3
One way women don’t differ from men is in the main risk factors for heart trouble. Smoking, obesity, inactivity and a poor diet all increase your risk. Keep an eye on these, and learn the special warning signs for women.
If you do, you can help keep your heart running smoothly for a long time to come.
Stay Healthy,
Dr Kenneth Woliner, M.D.
Best Life Herbals

1 “Women's Heart Disease Tied to Small Blood Vessels,” ScienceDaily. Oct. 14, 2011.
2 Reynolds, H.R., et al, “Mechanisms of Myocardial Infarction in Women Without Angiographically Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease,” Circulation. 2011; 124: 1414-1425. Circulation. 2011; 124: 1414-1425.
3 Van Campenhout, A. and Golledge, J., “Osteoprotegerin, vascular calcification and atherosclerosis,” Atherosclerosis. Jun 2009;204(2):321-9.