How does the heart health of men and women differ?

Women are prone to many heart ailments, but they often go undiagnosed

Even though a woman's heart resembles a man's, there are still significant differences.

A woman's heart, for example, and some of its interior chambers, are smaller. And some of these divisions are separated by thinner walls. Although a woman's heart beats faster than a man's, each squeeze expels about 10 per cent less blood.

Since gender influences symptoms, treatments, and outcomes, these distinctions are important.

Eating healthier meals and exercising are two of the most effective methods to improve heart health. There are several other things you may do to lower your risk of heart disease. Smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol levels, lack of physical activity, and having a family history of heart disease can all place you at a higher risk of heart disease.

Differences between the hearts of men and women:

Heart attack

Since women do not experience typical cardiac chest pain during a heart attack, the symptoms may easily be overlooked. Treatment may not be as recommended by guidelines, and patients are less likely to undergo invasive operations such as angioplasty or bypass surgery.

Stress

Women and men react to stress in different ways, leading to heart problems such as high blood pressure. Women are more prone to experience stress as an emotional response to workplace demands and child care requirements. Psychosocial stress cannot be measured in the same way physical exertion can. As a result, it's critical to adopt a holistic approach to maintaining heart health.

Artery blockage

Atherosclerosis or blockages afflict both men and women, and a dissection or spontaneous rip of the arteries is known as Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD). Smaller arteries can become blocked, sparing the larger big arteries. Microvascular angina is the medical term for this condition. Women are more likely to be prone than males to get this condition.

Menopause

Men are more likely than women to have a heart attack before 55. When a woman hits menopause, her hormones begin to change, and her risk of heart disease increases. Furthermore, postmenopausal women are more prone to high blood pressure.

Look after yourself

Whether you're a man or a woman, it's never too late to lower your risk of a heart attack. Here are a few things you should do:

Immediately stop smoking, and don't start if you haven't yet been in the grasp of this deadly habit.

Walking for 30 minutes is a must for everyone.

Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and seafood and cut down on animal products, simple carbs, and processed meals.

Keep your weight, blood pressure, lipid profile, and blood sugar in check.

(Dr Ankur Phatarpekar is the Director CATH LAB, Cardiologist, Symbiosis Hospital, Mumbai.)

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