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Cardiovascular disease in women is an integral area of research in the ongoing studies of women's health. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an umbrella term for a wide range of diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels, including but not limited to, coronary artery disease, stroke, cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarctions, and aortic aneurysms.
Reduced blood flow to the heart associated with coronary ischemia can result in inadequate oxygen supply to the heart muscle. [6] When oxygen supply to the heart is unable to keep up with oxygen demand from the muscle, the result is the characteristic symptoms of coronary ischemia, the most common of which is chest pain. [6]
Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called coronary heart disease (CHD), or ischemic heart disease (IHD), [13] is a type of heart disease involving the reduction of blood flow to the cardiac muscle due to a build-up of atheromatous plaque in the arteries of the heart. [5] [6] [14] It is the most common of the cardiovascular diseases. [15]
Clogged arteries can be a significant factor in severe heart conditions.
Each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 735,000 people have a heart attack and 610,000 people die of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Symptoms include chest pain or angina, shortness of breath, and fatigue. [6]A completely blocked coronary artery will cause a heart attack. [6] Common heart attack symptoms include chest pain or angina, pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck jaw, teeth or the upper belly, cold sweats, fatigue, heartburn, nausea, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness.
Given the demographics of SCAD, it is important to maintain a high index of suspicion for the condition in otherwise low-risk women presenting with symptoms of acute coronary syndrome. Initial evaluation may show ECG changes of ST elevation, like heart attacks due to other causes. SCAD comprises 2-4% of all cases of acute coronary syndrome.
Estrogen has a protective benefit to the heart and loss of it can impact some of the specific risk factors for heart health, which include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and weight gain.