Valentine’s Day is coming up…is my heart at risk?
We’re not talking about heartbreak or love gone wrong, we mean is your heart healthy?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women. Here’s what you need to know, and what you can do to care for your heart.
Risk of developing cardiovascular disease or having a heart attack IS a women’s issue
As women transition into menopause, their risk of cardiovascular disease rapidly increases.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women are almost twice as likely as non-Indigenous women to have cardiovascular disease.
Trans women who use oestrogen hormone therapy have an increased risk of a heart attack compared to cis women.
Some risk factors are shared by everyone - like high cholesterol and blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and low physical activity.
BUT if you got your first period early or late, had pregnancy complications, have an autoimmune disease or endometriosis, or you started menopause before age 45 these are also risk factors.
Men and women have different symptoms when they are having a heart attack
We all know about chest pain, but for women symptoms can also include any of the following:
- jaw pain
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shoulder pain
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back pain
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nausea or vomiting
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dizziness
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shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
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Indigestion
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tiredness
Women under 50 years of age present more often with non-chest pain symptoms of cardiovascular disease. These short videos show what this can look like – Just a Little Heart Attack and Sharon’s Heart Attack Story
If you are experiencing unusual symptoms and think you might be having a heart attack, call Triple Zero (000) right away.
What can I do to care for my heart?
The Heart Foundation have a video on key things you can do. They include:
- Annual Heart Health Check with your GP – age 45 for all genders, age 30 for First Nations Peoples, and earlier if you have a family history of heart disease or you have women-specific risk factors. Women, especially after menopause, are under-screened and undertreated. Your GP can help you understand your risk factors and control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Quit smoking - it decreases your risk of heart attack and stroke almost straight away! Quit Tasmania has support for all Tasmanians and if you're Aboriginal you can get support through Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre's quit origrams.
- Healthy eating and regular physical activity – check out our online classes for fun activities, and the Heart Foundation have an easy to follow guide on how to eat well for a healthy heart
References
The Heart Foundation
Heart Health Declines Rapidly After Menopause, American College of Cardiology, April 2, 2024 https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2024/04/01/21/39/heart-health-declines-rapidly-after-menopause