11 November 2009
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Heart disease

Dr Trisha Macnair

Many of us think of heart disease as something that only affects men, but in fact it's the biggest killer of women in the UK. Find out if you're at risk.

The facts

Nearly one in four British women dies as a result of heart disease. Women who have a heart attack are less likely than men to survive the initial event and, if they do, they're at more risk of dying within the following year.

Women also tend to experience symptoms in a slightly different way to men. For example, angina (severe chest pain) is more common among women. They may also respond differently to treatment.

The risks

The main risk factors among women are:

Smoking - chemicals in tobacco smoke cause arteries all around the body, including the coronary arteries, to constrict. This can lead to chest pain or angina. Smoking also causes chronic arterial damage. Together these may precipitate a heart attack. As soon as you give up smoking, your risk of heart attack falls, returning to near normal within three to five years.

The contraceptive pill - if you smoke and take the pill, your risk of heart disease is 30 times higher than normal. Both these factors together greatly increase the risk of blood clots forming, and smoking has additional harmful effects (see above) all of which can lead to a heart attack.

The menopause - the female hormone oestrogen plays an important role in keeping the heart and blood vessels healthy. After the menopause, oestrogen levels fall (as do levels of the male hormone testosterone, which women also make in smaller amounts) and the rate of heart disease rises rapidly.

Obesity and lack of exercise.

Diabetes - the risk of heart disease is seven to ten times greater for women with diabetes.

High blood fat/cholesterol levels - especially after the age of 50.

Get more information about heart disease and how to prevent it.

Listen to a discussion about women and heart disease from Radio 4's Woman's Hour.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Trisha Macnair in August 2007.

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