Don’t let your heart health be an afterthought
Health07.10.2024
When was the last time you booked an appointment with your family doctor to chat about your heart health?
If you’re like most women, the answer is probably never.
When it comes to heart health, it’s often not top of mind until it needs to be. But in reality, women are suffering from heart issues far more than we’d like to think. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer of women, causing one in three deaths per year.
While that may paint a dire picture, Canada has growing momentum around bridging the gap regarding women’s heart health, says Dr. Tara Sedlak, the country’s first certified women’s heart health cardiologist.
“There are now three Canadian women’s heart cardiologists in the country and six women’s heart health centres across Canada,” she says. “We’ve definitely made some strides, and I hope to one day see a women’s heart health centre in every province. The need for women-specific heart care is imperative.”
Where women’s heart health differs
The need for better women’s heart health care initially became clear to Dr. Sedlak during her residency. One patient’s harrowing experience — a young woman misdiagnosed with a panic attack while suffering a heart attack — underscored the often-overlooked reality that women’s heart health symptoms can differ from those of men.
“Women may say they are experiencing a tightness in their chest, or a sore neck or jaw,” explains Dr. Sedlak, which can often cause that anxiety misdiagnosis. “That’s different from the traditional ‘elephant on the chest and pain in the arm’ that we attribute to a heart attack.”
Because research was traditionally conducted on men, women’s heart health care is still playing catch-up, and the symptoms are often still overlooked.
For example, while women can experience traditional heart attacks due to arterial blockages, they also face unique issues like spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) — which appears in women 90 per cent of the time — and microvascular dysfunction.
“These conditions are often missed because we’re not looking for them,” she says. “We must recognize these distinct patterns to provide effective care.”
The male-dominant focus of heart research also neglects the unique experiences and risk factors for women, such as pregnancy and menopause. But thanks to advancements in women-specific research, conditions like pregnancy-related hypertension and gestational diabetes have emerged as crucial risk factors that can double a woman’s future cardiovascular risk. Issues such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and hormonal changes during menopause are also gaining recognition as significant contributors to heart disease.
Those advancements are being made thanks to places like the Leslie Diamond Women’s Heart Health Clinic in British Columbia, where Dr. Sedlak and her team see hundreds of women a year, providing heart health rehab, treatment, and education.
And as more clinics open nationwide, Dr. Sedlak hopes to see even more investment into women-specific research to close that gender gap.
“Raising awareness and advocating for women’s heart health is definitely helping,” she says, adding that her team is continuing to investigate areas such as the connection between mental health and heart health.
“We’re seeing that trickle-down effect with doctors sending more referrals for ailments that they weren’t before, but women should still speak up if they think something is off.”
Make your voice heard
So, what can women do to be more heart-conscious?
While the medical research side catches up, Dr. Sedlak says speaking up and asking questions is crucial.
“Book that appointment with your doctor and take the time to discuss your heart health,” she says. “So often, it becomes an add-on or an afterthought, and that’s how early signs and symptoms can get overlooked. Don’t be afraid to make it a priority.”
Looking to learn more about women’s heart health? Dr. Tara Sedlak sat down with the Canadian Women’s Foundation to dive deeper into some of the issues women face. You can listen to that podcast episode here!
