Heart Disease In Women

You may have thought that heart disease is the same in men and women. While it is true that men and women have some of the same risk factors, there are differences in the way that the disease affects each gender's body.

Women tend to develop heart disease about 10 years later than men. They also have a greater chance of dying from a heart attack. In fact heart disease is the number one killer of women.

Another important difference is that women don't usually have extreme chest pain with a heart attack. In fact 64% of women who die suddenly of coronary artery disease had no previous symptoms. When women do have symptoms they are more likely to experience back or jaw pain,, dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath or nausea and vomiting.

With this in mind it is essential that mature women who experience any unusual physical symptoms consult urgently with their physician or go to the nearest emergency room.