Articles
Heart disease in women: Understand symptoms and risk factors
Content
Heart attack symptoms for women
Heart disease risk factors for women
Is heart disease something only older women should worry about?
What can women do to reduce their risk of heart disease?
Exercise to reduce the risk of heart disease in women
What's a healthy weight?
Is the treatment for heart disease in women different than in men?
Taking aspirin to prevent heart disease in women
Is the treatment for heart disease in women different than in men?
In general, heart disease treatment in women and in men is similar. It can include medications, angioplasty and stenting, or coronary bypass surgery.
Women are less likely to be prescribed statin therapy to prevent future heart attacks than are men. However, studies show the benefits are similar in both groups. Angioplasty and stenting, commonly used treatments for heart attack, work for both men and women. But for coronary bypass surgery, women are more likely than men to have complications.
Cardiac rehabilitation can improve health and aid recovery from heart disease. However, women are less likely to be referred for cardiac rehabilitation than men are.