Symptoms of Heart Disease in Women

Signs of heart disease in women are often more subtle than in men. Besides chest pain, they may include:

• Pain that radiates to the upper back, jaw or neck
• Persistent chest pain, even at rest
• Severe, unexplained fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Flu-like symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and cold sweats
• Unexplained anxiety

Risk Factors for Heart Disease in Women

Having one or more risk factors increases your chances of experiencing a heart condition. They include:

• Family history of heart attack or stroke at a young age
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Lifestyle concerns, such as using tobacco, being sedentary or having a diet that’s high in saturated fat
• Obesity, especially a wide waist circumference
• Previous pregnancy-related complications, like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure or preterm delivery
• Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis
• Early menopause (occurring before age 40)

Assessments for Heart Problems in Women

If you have risk factors, we perform a comprehensive assessment to calculate how likely you are to develop heart disease. We also provide timely evaluations for women experiencing symptoms. Specialists explain findings and what we can do to protect your heart health.

Find out more about women’s heart screenings and assessments.

Women’s Heart Disease Treatments

We may treat mild conditions with lifestyle changes, like recommending a heart-healthy diet and medications. For more advanced disease, you have access to experienced heart specialists and therapies that may not be widely available, like advanced heart failure services. We tailor services to meet your needs while protecting you against complications.

Comprehensive Care for Heart Problems in Women: Why Choose Us?

When you come to Memorial for women’s heart health services, you’ll find:

• Highly skilled team: Cardiologists specializing in women’s heart health deliver the tests and treatments you need. Our vast experience leads to precise testing and appropriate care. Meet our team.
• Integrative approach: You receive more of the services you need to achieve your heart health goals. We coordinate additional services to address the underlying causes of heart disorders. You may benefit from bariatric surgery for obesity, behavioral health, endocrinology and diabetes services and more.
• Advanced care: Our team includes cardiologists with a special interest in some of the more complex heart problems women face. We offer leading care for lipid disorders, heart issues during pregnancy and microvascular disease. These are some of our many subspecialty interests.
• Convenience: We take extra steps to make it easier to fit heart care into your busy schedule. You can schedule lab testing and review results via MemorialMyChart, our online patient portal. You can also use the portal to send your cardiologist a note between appointments or request a prescription refill.