Women may experience heart disease differently than men

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Survival rates after a heart attack are lower in women than in men and doctors are less likely to refer women for certain diagnostic tests. Photo: Pexels

 

(Kathleen Kenny/ Pharmacy Times) — Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Approximately 655,000 Americans die every year from heart disease. That equates to 1 person every 36 seconds. The condition costs the United States about $219 billion annually in health care services, lost productively, and medications.

Despite increased awareness over the past few decades, only a little over half (56%) of women recognize that heart disease is as deadly for them as it is for men, according to the CDC. In 2017, 299,578 women died from the disease.

It is important to recognize that women sometimes experience heart disease differently than men. Women are less likely than men to experience chest pain. But they are more likely to experience back or stomach pain, chest pressure or tightness, dizziness, fatigue, indigestion, nausea, or shortness of breath. (…)

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