Women and heart disease

Heart disease is the number one killer of New Zealand women, killing nearly 60 Kiwi women every week. There are currently more than 65,000 New Zealand women living with heart disease.¹

Sadly, two Kiwi woman die from a heart attack every day – more than 900 Kiwi women die from one each year.²

But despite these sobering statistics, many women are unaware that they are also at risk of heart disease.

Heart disease refers to a range of conditions that affect the heart. The term ‘heart disease’ is often used interchangeably with the term ‘cardiovascular disease,’ which refers to all diseases of the heart and circulation. These include coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, heart attack, congenital heart disease and stroke.

While there is no one cause of heart disease, there are several factors that increase risk. Just a few simple lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthier diet and participating in regular physical activity, can help every women reduce their risk.

It’s also important to be aware of heart disease and heart attack symptoms. These can present themselves differently in women than in men, which can lead to a delay in seeking medical help.

Because the symptoms of a heart attack can be different in women than in men, many women are unaware of the warning signs of heart disease or heart attack. In the event of a heart attack, women are also less likely than men to seek help quickly.

While men often experience central chest pain when having a heart attack, women commonly interpret this pain as indigestion simply because they do not expect a heart attack.

When experiencing a heart attack, women are also more likely to feel:

• Pain in the jaw, back or neck
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea, vomiting and cold sweats
• Overwhelming weakness or fatigue
• Anxiety, lethargy and loss of appetite.

Professor Annemarie Hennessy’s Vascular Immunology team is investigating ways to safely prolong pregnancy without premature delivery by studying placental growth and the pharmacology of aspirin.

Dr Clare Arnott, a visiting scientist with the Clinical Research team, has established NSW’s first Women’s Heart Clinic which focuses on gender-specific risk factors such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. She leverages her science research using HRI’s state-of-the-art facilities.