Dr. Aajay Shah - Heart Disease in Women

Did you know that the symptoms of heart disease in women are different than the symptoms experienced by men? Dr. Shah explains that although heart disease is preventable, many women continue to die young because their symptoms go unrecognized. Educating yourself on the symptoms of heart disease in women is the first step towards protecting yourself from becoming a statistic.

When many of us think of the symptoms of heart disease, we think of things like chest pain and heaviness. However, these symptoms are actually more common in men. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to experience the following:

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Back pain
• Arm pain
• Nausea

Interestingly enough, testing for women can also be different than for men. The typical stress test with a treadmill and EKG monitoring can show a false positive in women, so doing stress tests with imaging rather than an EKG is becoming an important method of testing for women as it provides for more accurate results.

Dr. Shah urges women who are experiencing shortness of breath or unusual fatigue to take this seriously and not just dismiss it as a sign of aging. Talk to your primary care physician and ask for testing and a diagnosis so you can explore treatment options and live the long, healthy life you were destined for.

Watch the full video below.