Signs of heart disease in women

Women think that cardiovascular disease mostly occurs only in men and the reality shows that it is. However, the difference will be when women enter perimenopause because cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death at this stage. So what are the signs of heart disease in women?

According to statistics and actual surveys, heart attack disease has a high risk of occurring in men despite their very young age, even those who are only 20-30 years old. In contrast, women under the age of 40 have a very low risk of heart attack. So what causes this situation? The answer is not too surprising thanks to the effect of the female hormone estrogen. Therefore, when women enter perimenopause and the amount of estrogen in the body decreases, the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases to the highest. Even some causes of early decline in estrogen such as early menopause or surgical removal of the ovaries without estrogen supplementation, the risk of cardiovascular disease will also be higher than normal. .
Besides, women in menopause also have a number of other risk factors that can increase the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases, including:
Diabetes; Hypertension; Dyslipidemia: Increase bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol), reduce good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol); Obesity and inactive habits. Perimenopause and menopause are natural physiological processes in women, completely unavoidable. Menopause causes women's physiology to change a lot, accompanied by many unusual signs such as:
Easy hot flashes or feeling tired for no reason; Night sweats; Vaginal dryness, decreased sebum secretion, irregular menstrual cycles and decreased sex drive; Sleep disturbances, mood swings; Skin and hair become drier; Memory decline.

Similar to other cardiovascular patients, signs of cardiovascular disease in women often include:
2.1. Palpitations, palpitations, and palpitations are symptoms that occur when the heart beats very fast, making the patient uncomfortable and sometimes feel a loss in the chest. These signs of heart disease in postmenopausal women may suggest paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia due to re-entry loops at the atrioventricular node. However, this disease can now be completely cured by radiofrequency ablation.
Another cause of palpitations in menopausal women is atrial fibrillation. Early recognition and diagnosis of atrial fibrillation is very important, especially at this stage, as it can lead to stroke or, if left untreated, can lead to heart failure. Current treatment options for atrial fibrillation include radiofrequency ablation on a 3-D mapping system, the use of drugs to control the rate of ventricular contractions, or drugs that convert atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm.
2.2. Shortness of breath can be a sign of heart disease in women The next most common heart disease sign in women is shortness of breath. If you feel short of breath every time you climb stairs or exert yourself, it's best to see your doctor as this could be a symptom of a heart condition such as coronary heart disease, heart failure or atrial fibrillation. To determine if the cause of shortness of breath is due to heart disease, your doctor will order some tests such as an electrocardiogram or an echocardiogram.
2.3. A feeling of heaviness in the chest This symptom is one of the signs of cardiovascular disease, or more precisely, coronary artery disease. Many people mistakenly believe that when having a heart attack, the chest pain will be very intense or painful like a tear in the chest. In fact, many heart attack patients only have a feeling of heaviness in the chest, even at a very mild level and without any impact on life, but they recur and the level gradually increases over time. . Therefore, when these signs are present, menopausal women should arrange to see a doctor as soon as possible in a cardiology hospital.

2.4. Headache in Women Headache is a very common symptom in perimenopausal and menopausal women. However, not so that it is subjective because headaches can be a symptom of high blood pressure, a very common cardiovascular disease today. At the same time, this sign of heart disease in this woman can also be a precursor of a stroke.
2.5. Dizziness, dizziness, lightheadedness Causes of these signs may include diabetes, heart failure, or cardiac arrhythmias (such as atrial fibrillation or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia).
2.6. Signs of Jaw Pain Jaw pain is actually one of the signs of heart disease in women that need attention. Jaw pain can be a warning sign of a heart attack, an extremely dangerous disease in menopause in women. In particular, the likelihood will be higher when the jaw pain recurs many times without any other cause, and the severity, duration and cycle of pain will increase.
2.7. A sign of heart disease is swelling of the feet Women who have not yet entered perimenopause can still experience mild leg swelling during menstruation and is considered completely normal. However, when entering perimenopause, symptoms of leg swelling may be due to abnormal fluid retention with the cause of congestive heart failure. Therefore, when these symptoms appear, it is best for women to visit a doctor and get an accurate diagnosis of the cause at a cardiology hospital.
2.8. Difficulty lying in the head position This condition can be one of the hallmarks of cardiovascular disease, an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the lungs, and a hallmark symptom of heart failure. Therefore, women in perimenopause should see a doctor as soon as possible when having these symptoms, thereby finding appropriate interventions.

When there are signs of heart disease, women should pay attention and do the following:
Go to the hospital as soon as possible: Women tend to be more procrastinating and indecisive than men in deciding whether to go to the hospital. see a doctor or not. However, women must absolutely not be subjective or think that these signs of heart disease are not serious or will quickly disappear; Limit or do not drive yourself: When there are signs of heart disease in women, it is best not to drive or go to the hospital alone. Instead, ask for the help of relatives or friends for support when needed; Maintain a reasonable weight: Improving overweight, sometimes just losing a little weight can help control hypertension, limit the risk of diabetes and is good for the heart; Build a healthy diet: Choose heart-healthy foods like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and lean meats. At the same time limit saturated or trans fats, foods high in sugar and salt; Quit smoking: Although the percentage of women who smoke is not high, women should know that just one year of quitting smoking will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 50%. Therefore, women who do not smoke should absolutely not start this habit and avoid smoking as far as possible; Exercise: Menopausal women only need to walk for about 30 minutes a day to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke; Stress management: This condition causes the arteries to constrict, leading to an increased risk of heart disease, especially coronary artery disease; Limit alcohol: If you are using more than 1 drink a day, you should give it up; Adhere to the treatment plan: Women going through menopause need to adhere to their doctor's treatment, including the use of blood pressure control drugs, anticoagulants and aspirin. It is also important to manage other health conditions such as high blood cholesterol and diabetes. Not all heart problems have obvious warning signs. Some heart disease symptoms don't even occur in the chest. Therefore, if women are in the group of people at high risk of heart disease, it is necessary to pay attention to all unusual signs occurring in the body for early examination.

Cardiovascular Center - Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the leading centers in the country for examination, diagnosis, screening and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. With the convergence of a team of experienced and reputable leading experts; application of advanced techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases; system of modern equipment, on par with the most prestigious hospitals in the world such as: 3 Tesla MRI (Siemens), 640 CT machine (Toshiba), high-end endoscopy equipment EVIS EXERA III (Olympus Japan), Avace advanced anesthesia system, Hybrid operating room according to international standards... The Cardiovascular Center at Vinmec International General Hospital has achieved many successes and gained trust. of the majority of patients.