Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the U.S. Since the mid 1980’s more women have died of heart disease than men. What is a woman’s best defense against heart disease? In this episode of the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Rekha Mankad, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, discusses women’s heart health topics, including:
- Chest pain being a common symptom, but often not the only one. Other symptoms such as back and shoulder pain can be signs of heart problems in women.
- Women often delaying seeking care for heart attack or heart disease because they think it’s something else.
- Steps women can take to reduce heart disease risk, which skyrockets after menopause.
- Within 5 years of menopause, women’s heart disease risk reaches about the same level as in men.
- Risk of heart attack and stroke in those with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
