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More women die of heart disease every year than men, but we still think it’s not our problem
For the last 30 years, more women have died of heart disease every year than men. Yet, women are less likely to seek care when having a heart attack. It simply doesn’t occur to them to do so. Here, we look at the facts about women and heart disease, why women don’t seek help, and how to know if you or a loved one is having a heart attack.
Startling Statistics • Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, yet women overwhelmingly think it is breast cancer • One in three women dies of heart disease, while one in 31 dies from breast cancer • Approximately one woman dies every minute from heart disease in the U.S. Source: American Heart Association
bloom 4 Winter 2014
Dangerous Delay Women — along with seniors, smokers, and diabetics — are the most likely to delay seeking help when experiencing the signs of a heart attack, according to a 2010 Mayo Clinic study. One of the most common reasons is because women perceive heart disease as a male problem. “When a middle-aged woman experiences symptoms, heart attack is not the first thing that crosses her mind,” says Peter Kriekard, MD, a cardiologist at Colorado Springs Cardiology, a Centura Health Clinic. “This is an important topic that we have not publicized very well for women.”
Since women tend to experience heart attacks after the age of 50 — and about 10 years after men — a common thought is that estrogen is a protective factor. However, synthetic hormones do not offer the same protection, leading researchers to believe that there are other reasons, such as the way women process insulin, that might help women ward off heart disease early in life. Nonetheless, Kriekard says, women of all ages can experience heart disease and heart attacks — particularly women who have diabetes or prediabetes. Penrose-St. Francis Health Services