Women more vulnerable to heart attack: Doc

Ananya Nadgauda | NT

A heart attack is a medical emergency that usually occurs when a blood clot disrupts blood flow to the heart. Without blood, the tissue loses oxygen and dies.

A recent study has shown that women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men. According to a 2016 American Heart Association statement, 26 per cent of women will die within a year of a heart attack compared to just 19 per cent in the case of men. In five years after a heart attack, almost every other woman will die, develop heart failure, or have a stroke compared with 36 per cent of men.

The heart looks the same in both genders, but a woman’s heart and some of its chambers are smaller and the walls that divide the chambers are thinner and the veins finer. Though a woman’s heart pumps faster than a man’s, a man’s heart ejects more blood with each pump.

Dr Abhijit Vilas Kulkarni, a senior consultant cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals Bengaluru, in an interview with News Trail, explains the grounds on which women become prone to heart attack at a young age.

What are the reasons for a heart attack in young women?
Generally, women are protected from heart attacks till they start menstruating but nowadays young women, especially those having associated risk factors like diabetes, the smoking habit, working women with stress and those with a poor lifestyle can be reasons for a cardiac arrest. Past Covid history, diabetes and acidity can also be factors for heart ailments in young women.

Do men and women have different heart attack symptoms?
Yes. Different symptoms in men and women are a major reason why women are diagnosed late. Men have classified symptoms like typical exhausting chest pain. Women have vague symptoms like neck pain, restlessness, fatigue or generalised tiredness. Hence, women are advised tests for haemoglobin, vitamin B12 and not an ECG or a treadmill test.Doctors make an investigational approach depending on the presenting symptoms, and because they are so vague, it delays the diagnosis.

What are the survival chances for a woman after a heart attack?
Survival chances of a woman solely depend on the kind of presentation. It is generally noted that due to delayed detection and evaluation, the problem shows up in an advanced manner, by which time some damage is done. Usually, men have more years to live, compared to a woman who has had a heart attack.

When should a woman see a doctor and how often?
It is a general recommendation of the ACC AHA for a woman to get screened at least once a year after she turns 20 years old, for the possible risk factors begin around then. There can be two possible evaluations: First, the risk factor evaluation; non-communicable diseases develop over time, unless one assesses the basic risk at some age. Second, looking up actively for a disease; a constant check-up for high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension assessment. These tests, even if it’s a hassle, make one much better protected in the long term. Eco and TMT are extremely valuable at least once one turns 40.

What lifestyle is needed to minimise the risk of heart attack?
Basic rules like exercising regularly, keeping your body weight in check, less intake of alcohol and cigarettes, managing mental stress and undergoing periodic check-ups helps. And because risk keeps changing over time as one goes through various phases in life, balancing those risks is important. Importantly, don’t overdo anything.

Are Indian women more vulnerable than their Western counterparts?
It is difficult to make that comparison. Years ago, India did not contribute much to the number of coronary diseases. Doctors have been facing a huge burden of heart-related ailments for about 10 years now.

Do contraceptive pills and the post-pregnancy stress play a role in causing heart problems?
Birth control pill are not directly associated with cardiac problems, but with blood clotting problems like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. Oral contraceptive pills may cause a blockage inside the heart, but it is not strong enough to cause a heart attack. Mental environment is a common factor that causes heart problems, though it is difficult to prove a direct association as a long-term study is not available. There is a lag in what the doctors see in a patient and what has been recorded. But, stress has always caused health issues.

Can heart problems be hereditary?
Family history is a very important risk factor. Doctors pick up strategies, screen for diabetes, cholesterol or any other related disease if a relative has it. Sometimes, even if classical risk factors are not present, there still are ch