Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women in Europe and worldwide with many women living with chronic cardiovascular disease. Similarly, in Ireland one in four women dies from heart disease or stroke every year, the same as men. Surprisingly very few women realise this or that their risk of dying of a heart attack or stroke is 6 times more likely than dying of breast cancer.
There are differences in the aetiology and sometimes the presentation of CVD in women leading to misdiagnoisis. For instance, younger women are more likely to present with myocardial infarction/ischaemia in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA/INOCA), with coronary artery dissection (SCAD) or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Further more women are protected by their hormones until the menopause so may develop atherosclerotic disease a bit later than men. Together this has meant that historically the public feel that heart disease is a man’s disease.
For verified healthcare professionals
Log in or register for free to read this article. HPN is for healthcare professionals, so new accounts are verified by our team.
