Medicus, Vol. 33 No. 2 Zdravlje žene, 2024.
Pregledni rad
The Female Heart – Symptoms of Cardiovascular Diseases in Women
Nina Jakuš
Maja Čikeš
Sažetak
Studying the specific symptoms of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in women can contribute to quicker detection and better treatment. The perception of cardiovascular disease predominantly affecting men is unjustified, especially when considering the latest epidemiological data, which indicate a significant contribution of CVD to the morbidity and mortality of women, and the fact that in addition to the usual risk factors for the development of CVD, some are also exclusive to the female gender. The latest guidelines of leading cardiology societies emphasize the similarity of the appearance of acute and chronic ischemic heart disease in both sexes, thus the focus shifts to the equal application of therapeutic options in all affected patients. According to available literature, heart failure symptoms do not differ significantly between men and women, but it is important to note that women tend to report more severe symptoms, with a much higher degree of functional limitation and diminished quality of life. This is akin to the case of atrial fibrillation. Sudden cardiac death is sometimes the first and only symptom of heart disease, and as with men, for women the underlying cause is usually ischemic heart disease, often unrecognized, which once again emphasizes the urgency of timely recognition and treatment in women. In conclusion, in most cardiovascular diseases, there is no significant difference in symptomatology between the sexes, but in some cases, the intensity of symptoms is significantly greater in women.
Ključne riječi
symptom assessment; women; coronary artery disease; heart failure; atrial fibrillation; sudden cardiac death
Hrčak ID:
328480
URI
Datum izdavanja:
27.2.2025.
Posjeta: 531 *