Heart attacks in women: delayed diagnosis, missed diagnosis, and undertreatment

Women who suffer a heart attack face poorer treatment than men. Find out what the British Heart Foundation is doing to close the health gap between men and women and what you can do too.

Contents of this page

Helen Wilberforce (pictured above) heart attack I couldn't believe it was happening in 2023. She considered herself a healthy 72-year-old and joked to the doctor when she found herself in A&E.

“When the trolley pushed into my bay, I teased, 'Oh, this looks like a big deal,'” she recalls.

“Then the doctor said, 'It's for you.'” You have a heart attack. ”

Earlier that day, she Googled “heart attack symptoms” after struggling to catch her breath and feeling a strange sensation in the middle of her chest.

“I was advised to call 999, but I didn't want to make a fuss so I called NHS 111,” said Helen, who lives in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.

Responders realized something serious was going on, called an ambulance and took her to A&E.

A woman is admitted to hospital with a heart attack every 16 minutes in the UK

she needed open heart surgery bypass Three blood vessels (coronary arteries) became blocked, causing her heart attack.

She now realizes that the symptoms she didn't think were serious were actually medical emergencies. “If I hadn't made that phone call, I might have died,” she says.

she points out coronary heart diseaseCancer, which causes most heart attacks, is the biggest killer of women around the world, killing twice as many people in the UK each year as breast cancer.

“Women are more likely to be at a disadvantage when it comes to heart attacks. They are more likely to be diagnosed late or misdiagnosed than men,” explains Dr. Babu Narayan.

“Women may be less aware that a heart attack can affect them, or may be reluctant to seek medical help. But even if they do, they may be at risk of being fired. It's highly sexual.”

Dr Babu Narayan gives the example of Babylon, an AI-powered virtual GP app. it made heading Because a few years ago, algorithms suggested completely different courses of action for men and women given the same symptoms and medical history.

Women are at higher risk when it comes to heart attacks.

The man was advised to go to A&E to rule out a heart attack, but the woman was told it could be a panic attack and was best treated at home.

“This is an example of an AI algorithm that magnifies existing inequalities in the treatment of women,” she says.

Dr. Babu Narayan witnessed his mother facing such discrimination before becoming a doctor himself.

“The last time I saw my mother alive, she was crying in the cardiac ward because of chest pain. She said to me, 'Indian women always complain of pain.'”

Sadly, inequalities still exist. Research published in journals heart A 2024 study showed that women, black people and people from low-income households were less likely to undergo heart surgery in the UK.

And even if they do undergo heart surgery, the results are not that good. Women are more likely to die in the year after heart surgery.

“Women are less likely to receive treatment for: stentheart surgery, medicine, etc. Statin and access to cardiac rehabilitationIt can reduce your risk of having another heart attack,” says Dr. Babu Narayan.

“Women are underserved and underserved when it comes to heart care.”

“You have early periods, have had multiple stillbirths or miscarriages, have diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy, or menopause Acting too early can increase the risk,” says Dr. Babu Narayan.

Doctors don't routinely ask about these factors when assessing a woman's risk, she explains.

Therefore, women may want to discuss these factors when speaking with their doctors.

She also points out that when estrogen levels drop before, during, and after menopause, your cholesterol levels, weight, and blood pressure may rise, putting you at greater risk.

This is the time to check these levels and closely monitor your health.

To learn more about menopause and the heart, watch our Live & Ticking webinar (below).

the study, Funded by BHFwhich shows that both men and women can experience a variety of symptoms, including:

• Chest pain or discomfort that feels like tightness, tightness, tightness, tightness, pain, or heaviness in your chest comes on suddenly and doesn't go away.
• Pain or discomfort that may radiate to one or both arms or to the neck, jaw, back, or abdomen
• shortness of breath
• Feeling dizzy or light-headed
• Indigestion, feeling sick (nausea), or feeling sick (vomiting)
• sweating
• A sudden feeling of anxiety that feels like a panic attack.

If you think you are having a heart attack, call 999 immediately.

A referral to a cardiologist “just to rule things out” resulted in the following diagnosis: angina pectoris.

“From what they saw, and what I told them, I probably had a heart attack that night when the paramedics came.

“They said tummy upset or discomfort could be a symptom. It's not necessarily the chest-wrenching pain you see in the movies.”

she says: “If I could go back, I would have asked more questions and pushed you to go to the hospital sooner. When someone in a more educated position says to you, 'You are right.'
“It's definitely not a heart attack,” then you want to accept that.

“But I knew something was wrong. I think as women, we sometimes accept too much.”

From 2021 onwards, scientists applying for our funding will need to explain how they will recruit a representative range of participants and how they will solicit our funding. new application form The study includes sections on male and female representation.

Advancement of women in science

We want to have an equal number of male and female scientists funded within a generation. We support women's careers in cardiology, including by hosting “Women in Science” events.

Dr Babu Narayan said: “We find that more women are recruited into clinical trials when there are both women and men on the team. Diverse teams with diverse ways of thinking also lead to better research and innovation.”

It seeks to go beyond “bikini medicine,” which says that women's health is only about the breasts and ovaries.

raise awareness

Help women understand their risks, heart attack symptoms, and when to seek emergency help by sharing information like this article with friends and family.

impacting the government and the NHS

Since 2019, our policy team has published the Bias and Biology report. england, Scotland, Northern Ireland and waleshighlighting gender inequalities in cardiac care and calling for improvements.

This helps influence government planning. Scottish Women's Health Plan The 2021-2024 goals included clear goals and actions for women's heart health.

“This is about going beyond 'bikini medicine,' which is the idea that women's health is only about the breasts and ovaries,” explains Dr. Babu Narayan.

“Changing deep-seated inequalities and prejudices will not be easy, but it will be worth it.”

What to read next…

Published December 10, 2024