Cardiovascular disease is frequently perceived as a health threat that primarily targets men, but women are equally vulnerable to serious heart conditions. Crucially, they often experience a cardiac emergency without the classic crushing chest pain typically associated with such events.
To address this critical awareness gap, Peerless Hospital Guwahati has urged women to learn the less typical warning signs of heart disease and gain a deeper understanding of their cardiovascular risks, particularly during and after menopause.
Recognizing Atypical Cardiac Symptoms
Dr. Chandrama Das, Consultant Cardiologist at Peerless Hospital Guwahati, explained that women often display less dramatic clinical presentations. She noted that unusual fatigue, shortness of breath, back or shoulder discomfort, neck or jaw pain, acidity, heartburn, epigastric pain, lightheadedness, nausea, sweating, and palpitations can all signal underlying cardiac issues and should never be dismissed casually.
While cardiovascular health requires lifelong attention, Dr. Chandrama highlighted menopause as a vital milestone for reassessing heart-related risks.
Overlooked Risk Factors and Pregnancy Complications
Several frequently ignored risk factors can amplify cardiovascular danger, including PCOS, early menopause before age 40, pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, smoking, and thyroid disease.
Emphasizing long-term implications, pregnancy-related complications like pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes should not be forgotten once pregnancy concludes, as they serve as markers for future cardiovascular risk.
Furthermore, cardiac symptoms do not always stem from major coronary artery blockages. Conditions such as coronary microvascular dysfunction, vasospastic angina, and spontaneous coronary artery dissection can trigger cardiac symptoms in the absence of conventional obstruction.
The Importance of Early Diagnosis
Dr. Gautam Kr Das, CEO of Peerless Hospital Guwahati, emphasized that prioritizing women's cardiovascular health through better awareness of risk factors and warning signs ensures early diagnosis and timely medical intervention.
He noted that women comprise nearly half of the global population, yet their cardiovascular health receives inadequate attention, making timely medical care vital to reducing the overall disease burden.
Peerless Hospital Guwahati provides comprehensive cardiac care services, featuring interventional cardiology, coronary angiography and angioplasty, echocardiography, heart failure and arrhythmia management, pacemaker and AICD implantation, and critical emergency cardiac support.
