Women's Heart Health: What's Different

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women worldwide, yet it is frequently under-recognized and undertreated compared to men — partly because symptoms and risk factors can present differently.

Atypical Symptoms

While chest pain remains common in women too, symptoms like unusual fatigue, shortness of breath, and indigestion-like discomfort are reported more frequently, which can delay recognition and treatment.

Sex-Specific Risk Factors

Conditions such as pregnancy-related hypertension (preeclampsia), gestational diabetes, and early menopause are associated with elevated long-term cardiovascular risk specifically in women.

Closing the Gap

Increasing awareness among both patients and clinicians about these differences is essential to closing the historical gap in diagnosis and treatment speed between men and women.