A Woman’s Heart – rethinking “normal”
The bad news – Cardiovascular Disease in women has for years been poorly understood, underdiagnosed and therefore undertreated. It is a leading cause of death in women, only 2nd to cancer worldwide. The good news – Heart Disease is treatable, death and illness are preventable, and long term outcomes for overall health are favourable.
Long touted as “men’s disease”, cardiovascular disease is now recognized as a leading cause of death and illness in women. An estimated 25% of deaths in North American women are attributed to heart disease, yet we’re just beginning to understand this. “Why” you ask? Historically, testing and diagnosis has been focused on what was studied in men. Women tend to have different symptoms leading to delayed diagnosis, therefore worse outcomes, including preventable deaths.
With this knowledge and ongoing understanding, we now have an opportunity to shift this. Rather than waiting for disease to manifest, we can identify cardiovascular risk factors early, understand the unique biological factors that influence women’s heart health, and implement targeted, prevention-focused.
How do heart attacks present in women compared to men?
Classic heart attack presentation in men is crushing chest pain, pain radiating down the left arm and possibly to the
In women, symptoms are much more vague and can include subtle chest discomfort, shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, nausea, palpitations and neck pain.
Imaging can also be different in women. Traditional Coronary Angiography (images of the heart, arteries and vessels) will often appear “normal”, even with symptoms present.
Health across the lifespan
Women’s cardiovascular health is very particularly influenced by hormonal change, particularly in peri & menopause. Estrogen is highly supportive/protective to the heart and circulatory system by improving artery and vessel function, reducing inflammation, and promoting vasodilation. There is a sharp increase in cardiovascular risk as estrogen levels decline in the years of perimenoause and then menopause. Diabetes (including gestational!), Preeclampsia and Thyroid dysfunction can also all signal underlying metabolic and endothelial dysfunction, predicting future cardiovascular disease risk.
Naturopathic approaches to Cardiovascular disease – longevity and prevention
Conventional medicine is often reactive, meaning that they only act after disease has manifested, symptoms have arisen, or there are significant changes in markers (ie blood and other testing). The focus of Naturopathic Medicine has always been proactive - looking to prevent disease or deterioration before it manifests. In doing so, we can often flag, identify and help manage risk factors well before (often many years before!) symptoms arise, thus helping alleviate long term risk. We focus on:
Comprehensive labs to assess for lipids, metabolic markers, inflammatory markers and hormone status, etc.
Supplementation helps to optimize blood sugar levels, nutrient intake, antioxidant status, microvascular support, mitochondrial function, hormone levels and more.
Stress management strategies including supplementation, acupuncture, relaxation exercises, counseling
Nutritional counseling which is personalized and matched to an individuals needs
IV Therapy can be an option for nutrient and antioxidant optimization
If you or your loved one is concerned about their cardiovascular health, please do look into early assessment with your ND. It can make an enormous difference in current and future quality of life and health status!