Heart disease is the leading threat to women’s health, but many of us still picture a heart attack as a man’s problem. That outdated assumption has real consequences. A 2022 study found women with chest pain waited about 11 minutes longer on average in the emergency room than men, and they’re less likely to receive echocardiograms and other cardiac tests that catch problems early.
Part of the problem is how women’s symptoms present. Nausea, fatigue, and back pain often get mistaken for stress or anxiety, and cardiologists point out the irony: stress is itself a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, so dismissing symptoms as “just stress” can send women home without the care they need. Two mothers, Courtney Pace of South Carolina and Vivian Tandy of Kentucky, had to push repeatedly for answers before receiving treatment for serious heart conditions. Women are also underrepresented in landmark cardiovascular clinical trials, which means much of what we know about heart treatment comes from data gathered mostly on men.
So what can you do? Know your risk factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and family history. If something feels wrong and you’re being brushed off, ask directly for testing, request a second opinion, and bring someone with you who can help speak up. For those of us here on the Suncoast, where so many residents are retirees and snowbirds, that advice is worth sharing with a neighbor. Have you ever had to push for a diagnosis you knew was right? Tell us your story.
