Heart Attack Risks: Do Women or Men Face Greater Threats?

Recent studies indicate that while younger men are at a higher risk for heart attacks, post-menopausal women experience a significant increase in this risk. Additionally, women face higher mortality rates from heart attacks and strokes compared to men. The reasons are complex, involving genetic, hormonal, and social factors.

In women, the two X chromosomes influence blood vessel structure and plaque buildup in arteries. Before menopause, their risk of heart disease is lower, but menopause-related changes dramatically elevate it.

Women with type 2 diabetes are also at an increased heart attack risk, sometimes equaling that of men.
Why does this happen? A major issue is that women's heart attack symptoms differ from men's. While chest pain is a common sign, women often experience additional symptoms like nausea, jaw pain, dizziness, and fatigue. Lack of awareness of these symptoms frequently leads to late or incorrect diagnosis, reducing survival chances.

Healthcare disparities exacerbate the problem. Doctors tend to underestimate women's heart disease risk and order fewer critical diagnostic tests for them. The situation is particularly tough for women from minority groups who face limited access to healthcare.

Experts are calling for updated medical guidelines, including gender-specific tests and diagnostics. For instance, using different threshold values for men and women in heart function tests can improve diagnostic accuracy. "Awareness of unique symptoms and risk factors, along with timely medical testing, can save many women's lives," recent research concludes.