Does heart disease affect men and women equally? Keep reading to learn about the differences between men’s and women’s cardiovascular health.
While cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., there has been a lack of awareness and education when it comes to heart disease in women. In fact, some studies suggest that women were less likely to be prescribed statins, aspirins, and blood pressure medications than men.
CVD is a group of diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels and includes high blood pressure (hypertension), heart failure, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and more. Since CVD can look different in men and women, it’s important to be aware of the differences in diagnosis and treatment.
Gender Differences
The frequency of CVD in pre-menopausal women tends to be lower than in men, but this frequency dramatically increases after menopause. Furthermore, many of the classic signs of CVD are based on studies done largely in men.
As a result, doctors and patients may miss heart attack signs in women which leads to a delayed diagnosis. In fact, some studies show that women get lifesaving procedures less frequently and later during the course of a heart attack than men
Controlling and Preventing CVD
Doctors prescribe various medications to prevent CVD from developing and to prevent it from getting worse. These medications include statins, aspirins, and blood pressure medications like ACE inhibitors or calcium-channel blockers.
Other medications may be used to treat specific types of CVD like atrial fibrillation and heart failure. However, a recent study suggests that there may be differences in how CVD medications are prescribed to men and women.
Prescription Medications
According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association, women are significantly less likely to be prescribed aspirin, statins, and ACE inhibitors compared to men. However, there were some important limitations present. For example, the study didn’t look at other common medications used to treat heart failure or atrial fibrillation. It also only looked at prescriptions from primary care providers and not cardiologists.
While more research is necessary to understand why there is a difference in prescription medication, there may be a link to the gender differences in CVD mentioned previously.
Protecting Your Cardiovascular Health
To effectively take care of your heart, you need to be aware of the symptoms and signs of CVD and how they may present themselves in women and men. You should also visit your primary care doctor on a routine basis and get the recommended CVD screenings in a timely manner.
In addition, you can boost your heart health by doing three simple things: eating healthily, exercising regularly, and taking supplements like HeartBeet Complete. Its ingredients effectively promote circulation, blood pressure health, energy levels, and more. Give your health the support it needs right now by staying on top of your cardiovascular health and taking HeartBeet Complete.
