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Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in developed countries. And far from what one might think, the risk of suffering a cardiovascular accident is higher in women than in men. However, the majority of the population thinks that it is a “masculine” problem, a serious mistake that can lead us to be unprepared to identify the symptoms and prevent pathologies associated with women. Menopause, pregnancy, physical and emotional stress, or autoimmune diseases can cause serious heart problems in women.
Dr. Pablo García, clinical cardiologist of the Ribera Health Group of the Ribera Santa Justa and Ribera Almendralejo hospitals in Extremadura, explains, for example, that 90% of spontaneous coronary dissections occur in women who do not present risk factors to which we associate classically cardiovascular diseases, such as being a man, a smoker or hypertensive. However, coronary dissections can cause angina pectoris, heart attacks, arrhythmias, heart failure and even sudden death. Without wishing to be alarmist, Dr. García recalls that “it is very difficult to look for a single cause in spontaneous coronary dissections, but it has been proven that there is a hormonal determinant, since it is a disease predominant in women”, while explaining that, for example, the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy “become a childbirth at a critical time for these injuries”.
For its part, the Spanish Heart Foundation recalls that following menopause, heart problems are as common in women as in men and, what is more serious: they are more serious and have a worse prognosis. Estrogen, which protects women during their reproductive years, is significantly reduced between the ages of 50 and 60, and with it the protective shield they provide in the female body virtually disappears, due to their vasodilating effect, how they promote recovery in the event of minor injuries or because of the way they lower “bad” cholesterol and increase “good” cholesterol, among other reasons.
Warning symptoms for the heart of women
Our specialist, Dr. Pablo García, gives us some basic tips to activate the heart health alert, especially in the case of women. Symptoms that should alert us to see a specialist immediately are:
- Chest pain, which arises constantly and sharply, with or without strong emotions.
- Palpitations, which may be strong or last longer than 20 to 30 minutes. It is recommended to do an electrocardiogram.
- Fatigue and shortness of breath, especially with high blood pressure.
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