Patient education: Coronary artery disease in women (The Basics)

What is coronary artery disease? — Coronary artery disease, also called "coronary heart disease," is one of the most common types of heart disease. It puts you at risk for a heart attack and other forms of heart disease. In coronary artery disease, the arteries that bring blood to the heart get clogged with fatty deposits (figure 1).

Does coronary artery disease happen in women? — Yes. In fact, coronary artery disease is the most common cause of death in women in the US. Women often worry about getting cancer, especially breast cancer, as they get older. But many more women die from heart disease than from breast cancer.

What are the symptoms of coronary artery disease in women? — Symptoms of coronary artery disease are often the same in both women and men. The most common symptom is some type of chest pain. Chest pain can be described as tightness in the chest or feel sharp or burning. Symptoms can be brought on by exercise or stress, or can happen during rest or sleep.

Some people have no symptoms of coronary artery disease until they start to have a heart attack. A heart attack is when 1 of the arteries that bring blood to the heart gets blocked (figure 2). In women, the most common symptoms of a heart attack are:

●Trouble breathing

●Feeling weak

●Feeling much more tired than usual

These are different from the symptoms people usually think of when they think of someone having a heart attack. Sometimes, women also have these "classic" symptoms when they have a heart attack (figure 3):

●Chest pain, pressure, or discomfort

●Pain in the neck, arm, throat, back, or other part of the body

●Nausea or vomiting

●Sweating or having cold, clammy skin

●Racing heart

●Feeling dizzy or lightheaded

Is there a test for coronary artery disease in women? — Tests to check for coronary artery disease are the same for women and men. They can include:

●Blood tests, including tests to check cholesterol levels

●An electrocardiogram (also called an "ECG") – This test measures the electrical activity in your heart.

●A stress test – During this test, a doctor records your ECG while you exercise on a treadmill or bike, or get medicine to make your heart pump faster.

●An echocardiogram (also called an "echo") – This test uses sound waves to create a picture of your heart as it beats.

●Nuclear heart testing – During this test, the doctor puts a small amount of radioactive material into your vein through a needle. Then, a camera takes pictures of the heart.

●Cardiac catheterization (also called "cardiac cath") – During this test, the doctor puts a thin tube into a blood vessel in your leg or arm. Then, they move the tube up to your heart. When the tube is in place, they can do tests or unblock a clogged artery.

How is coronary artery disease in women treated? — In general, coronary artery disease treatment is the same for women and men. Treatments can include:

●Medicines – Some medicines relieve chest pain. These include nitrates and beta blockers. Other medicines lower your risk of heart attacks and help you live longer. These include:

•Medicines called statins, which lower cholesterol

•Medicines to lower blood pressure

•Aspirin or other medicines that help prevent blood clots

●A procedure to reopen a clogged artery, called "stenting"

●Surgery to reroute blood around a clogged artery, called "bypass surgery" or "coronary artery bypass grafting" (figure 4)

Is there anything I can do to help prevent coronary artery disease? — Yes. To help prevent coronary artery disease, you can:

●Work with your doctor to get medical conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes under control.

●Stop smoking, if you smoke.

●Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, on most days of the week.

●Lose weight, if you are overweight.

●Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products, and not a lot of meat or fatty foods.

●Limit your alcohol intake to no more than 1 drink a day.

●Get treated for depression, if you are depressed. Depression increases your chance of getting heart disease.

Can taking hormones help prevent coronary artery disease? — No. Doctors do not think that taking hormones like estrogen helps prevent coronary artery disease. They do not recommend that women who have gone through menopause (stopped having periods) take estrogen to prevent coronary artery disease.

More on this topic

Patient education: Heart attack (The Basics)
Patient education: Pleuritic chest pain (The Basics)
Patient education: Coronary artery disease (The Basics)
Patient education: ECG and stress test (The Basics)
Patient education: Echocardiogram (The Basics)
Patient education: High cholesterol (The Basics)
Patient education: High blood pressure in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Quitting smoking (The Basics)
Patient education: Diet and health (The Basics)
Patient education: Exercise and movement (The Basics)
Patient education: Cardiac catheterization (The Basics)
Patient education: Shortness of breath (dyspnea) (The Basics)
Patient education: Nuclear heart testing (The Basics)
Patient education: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (The Basics)

Patient education: Heart attack (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Chest pain (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: High cholesterol and lipids (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Exercise (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Diet and health (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Quitting smoking (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: High blood pressure in adults (Beyond the Basics)