What Causes Heart Attacks In Women?

In the United States, 1 in 4 women dies from heart disease. In fact, coronary heart disease (CHD), the most common type of heart disease, is the #1 killer of both men and women in the United States. Other types of heart disease, such as coronary microvascular disease (MVD) and broken heart syndrome, also pose a risk for women.

These disorders, which mainly affect women, are not as well understood as CHD. However, research is ongoing to learn more about coronary MVD and broken heart syndrome. This article focuses on heart diseases that can afflict women. It includes general information about coronary MVD and broken heart syndrome.

1Coronary Microvascular Disease

Coronary MVD is a heart disease that affects the heart's tiny arteries. This condition is also called cardiac syndrome X or nonobstructive CHD. In coronary MVD, the walls of the heart's small arteries are damaged or diseased.

Women are more likely than men to have coronary MVD. Many researchers think that a drop in estrogen levels during menopause, combined with other heart disease risk factors, causes coronary MVD. Although the death rates from heart disease have decreased in the last 30 years, they haven't dropped as much in women as in men. This may be the result of coronary MVD.

Standard tests for CHD are not designed to detect coronary MVD. Thus, the test results for women who have coronary MVD may show that they are at low risk for heart disease. Research is ongoing to learn more about coronary MVD and its causes.

2Plaque Buildup (Atherosclerosis)

If the plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form on its surface. A large blood clot can mostly or entirely block the blood flow through a coronary artery. This is the most common cause of a heart attack. Over time, the ruptured plaque also hardens and narrows the coronary arteries.

The plaque also can develop within the walls of the coronary arteries. Tests that show the insides of the coronary arteries may look normal in people who have this pattern of plaque. Studies are underway to see whether this type of plaque buildup occurs more often in women than in men and why. In addition to angina and heart attack, CHD can cause other serious heart problems. The disease may lead to heart failure, irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

3Broken Heart Syndrome

Women are also more likely than men to have a condition called broken heart syndrome. In this recently recognized heart problem, extreme emotional stress can lead to severe (but often short-term) heart muscle failure. Broken heart syndrome is also called stress-induced cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Doctors may misdiagnose broken heart syndrome as a heart attack because it has similar symptoms and test results. However, there's no evidence of blocked heart arteries in broken heart syndrome, and most people have a full and quick recovery. Researchers are just starting to explore what causes this disorder and how to diagnose and treat it. Often, patients who have broken heart syndrome have previously been healthy.

4Coronary Heart Disease

CHD is a disease in which plaque builds up on the inner walls of your coronary arteries. These arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart. When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis.

Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. Over time, plaque can harden or rupture (break open). Hardened plaque narrows the coronary arteries and reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. This can cause chest pain or discomfort called angina.

Women tend to have CHD about ten years later than men. However, CHD remains the #1 killer of women in the United States. The good news is that you can control many CHD risk factors. CHD risk factors are conditions or habits that raise your risk of CHD and heart attack. These risk factors also can increase the chance that existing CHD will worsen.

Lifestyle changes, medicines, and medical or surgical procedures can help women lower their risk of CHD. Thus, early and ongoing CHD prevention is important. Now that you've read this article, you should have a better understanding of the types of heart diseases that can put the lives of women at risk and get started learning how to recognize their symptoms before it's too late.