More and more women, even young people, make infarction. Symptoms are atypical in almost one in two cases and generally evolve silently. Symptoms are not always the same as in men. How to identify and prevent them? Answers from Pr Claire Mounier-Vehier, cardiologist.
No, infarction and stroke, it does not happen to men. Women, whatever their age are also victims.
Figures on female cardiovascular mortality are alarming:
- 400 people a day in France die from cardiovascular disease, more than half are women
- Cardiovascular diseases are the first cause of mortality at home, near‘One in three women die Each year.
- THE cardiovascular diseases represent the first cause of death in women In France.
These are atypical symptoms in almost one in two cases, and different of those observed in men and generally evolve insidiously upstream of the infarction. This would delay an additional hour compared to men, the call to an emergency service by the relatives of a woman who makes a heart attack. “In women, it can be gastric paincomparable to those of an ulcerdescribes Professor Claire Mounier-Vehier, cardiologist and ex-president of the French Cardiology Federation. Digestive symptoms combine a difficulty in digesting, burns in the stomach, nausea or vomiting. “All of these symptoms sometimes also occur at rest, can stop spontaneously and come back.
Do not put these signs aside and think of myocardial infarction, especially if you have risk factors: tobacco, psycho-social stress, depression, excess cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, obesity ” details the Act for the hearts of women created by Professor Mounier. “”Often too, women evoke a Efforted fatigabilityeven when they are sporty! Some of my patients tell me, for example, that they can no longer jog or feel a Oppression in the chest. To summarize, any abnormal symptom, in a context of risk factors (hypertension, family field, tobacco) must alert women and lead to a cardiovascular assessment, or even call 15. ” Note that the chest paincharacteristic symptom of infarction in humans, only concerns one in two women.
If women do more infarction, it is because “Their lifestyle has evolved for almost 30 years”explains the cardiologist. They have adopted the same risky behaviors as men: they smoke, they drink alcohol, they eat less well, they are more stressed … Several factors increase their risk of having a heart attack:
- THE Tobacco is “Public enemy number 1”. It is the cause of more than one in two in two before 50 years. And all the more when associated with the pill. You have to quit smoking or limit tobacco to avoid infarction.
- THE stressis not to be outdone: it is the 3rd risk factor after tobacco and cholesterol and it is more toxic for women than for men, specifies Professor Mounier-Vehier. Today, women accumulate a lot of tension due to a rhythm of life that accelerates always more. And by force, it is their heart to drink. “”Chronic stress acts directly on metabolism (Promotes cholesterol and diabetes, editor’s note) and promotes the rigidity of the long -term arteries, So increases the rupture of cholesterol plates, which promotes infarction. And indirectly, chronic stress leads women to snack, therefore to gain weight, but also to smoke … which further increases the risks. “
- There sedentary lifestyle : Less than a third of women exercise physical activity at least 3 times a week. There are also numerous sitting more than 5 hours a day. You have to move as much as possible to avoid overweight or obesity, two causes responsible for infarction.
- A Food poor in fruits and vegetables : Only 20% women eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables per day. Now eat healthy contributes to good heart health.
- THE diabetes and hypercholesterolemia.
- High blood pressure.
The problem is that women often feel protected from cardiovascular risk by their hormones. This is true to menopause: estrogens make the arteries of women flexible and thus avoid the formation of blood clots. “But what they often ignore is that exposure to risk factors, like stress, decreases this protective effect.” Thus, it is enough that a woman is hypertensive, that she smokes, that she is overweight or even exposed to stress, so that this natural protection disappears.
Beyond the lifestyle, women are exposed to hormonal risk factors, which can have a negative impact on their hearts throughout their lives. Contraception, pregnancy and menopause are therefore risky periods For women.
Synthetic estrogens -based contraceptives such as the majority of pills (but also skin patches and vaginal rings) promote blood clotting, therefore the formation of clots responsible for infarction. Worse still when the woman smokes, even some cigarettes a day.
Before the first pill prescription :: “The doctor must make a full point to find out if there are history of phlebitis or pulmonary embolism in the family. It is Ba Ba, Indicates Professor Mounier. Since the scandal of the 3rd generation pills, no prescription for a pill, whatever its generation, can be made without a advanced interrogation.
At 35: “Then you have to take stock at 35. A woman who continues to smoke while taking a contraception must imperatively stop synthetic estrogens to move on to exclusively progestogy contraception (progestogen pill, Implanon®, Mirena®). “
After 40 years: “I do not recommend estro-professional contraceptives for all women because they arrive at an age when physiologically they do more clots.”
The cardiologist advises to provide an assessment with the gynecologist and with the cardiologist, in order to discuss the interest of a hormonal treatment, on a case -by -case basis. And to see them again every year. In some women, without risk factors, “Who sleep badly at night because they have joint pain or that feel aggressive, badly in their skin or depressed, a treatment can be useful for limiting the stress that follows, itself a risk factor for infarction”she says. He will also be beneficial on the lipid assessment. “In these cases and in the absence of contraindication, I recommend treatment with natural progestins and skin, accompanied by a check up and regular gynecological monitoring.”
Vigilance is essential Menopause :: Menopausal women must redouble vigilance about their lifestyle. “”From menopause, women tend to gain weight. They accumulate more fats and sugars in the blood, even though their arteries become thicker and more rigid “, Recalls Professor Mounier-Vehier.
How can women change their lifestyle to reduce their risk of infarction? “They must eat healthy, without forgetting the fruits and vegetables. Avoid nibble on because it promotes weight gain. Move, which does not necessarily mean going to a gym, but having regular physical activity every day. We must also accompany women who wish to quit smoking and tell them that 3 cigarettes per day multiplies by 2 the risk of infarction, but that any cigarette less. Manage their stress.
