Woman’s World: Heart disease differs in women, men

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America, but the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of this common disease often vary depending on the patient’s gender.

The GENESIS project, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, reveals these interesting facts about heart disease in men and women.

“ Women tend to experience lower blood pressure than men until they hit menopause, when their blood pressure begins to increase.

“ Heart-attack symptoms for men and women also differ. While men tend to experience the chest pain traditionally associated with heart attacks, women often experience other symptoms, which can often be mistaken for another health problem. Heart attacks in women are often marked by fatigue, nausea and lightheadedness as well as neck, shoulder and upper-back pain.

“ When men and women go to the hospital with chest pain, an angiogram, the test used to diagnose heart problems, often returns normal results for women even if an underlying problem exists.

“ Finally, while most drugs used to treat heart failure work in both men and women, some work better for one sex. For example, ACE inhibitors tend to work better for men, while ARBs work better for women.

For women, these statistics are telling, and this study could result in doctors treating and preventing heart disease in different ways, depending on the patient’s gender.

Remember, if you experience any of the heart-attack symptoms listed above, do not hesitate to go to the emergency room. Responding quickly to the onset of any of these symptoms could save your life.