Women and Heart Failure
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Symptoms Are Different For Women
Women have different CAD or heart failure symptoms than men, which can be deadly. Those symptoms are often misinterpreted as signs of stress, being out of shape and getting older. Heart failure usually comes on slowly, so the symptoms aren't as obvious as a heart attack and might go unnoticed and untreated until it becomes more serious. Knowing the signs of CAD and heart failure are the key to getting effective treatment.
Here’s What to Look For:
- Sleep problems – Do you have trouble falling asleep and/or staying asleep?3
- Pain in the jaw, throat, or neck – This can be a sign of reduced blood flow to the heart.3
- Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain – Indigestion can be an often-overlooked symptom of CAD.3
- Shortness of breath – Do you have trouble catching your breath when doing regular activities or laying down?3
- Swelling (edema) – In the legs, ankles, feet, stomach and neck.4
- Coughing – A persistent, unexplained cough could be a sign that fluid is building up in your lungs.5
- Fatigue – Do you constantly feel tired or weak?6
- Reduced or low ejection fraction (EF) – EF is the measurement of blood your heart pumps with each beat. An EF below 50% is considered Low EF; normal EF is 50-70%.7
- Angina (chest pain) - Have you experienced a heaviness, tightness, pressure, aching, burning, numbness, fullness, squeezing or a dull ache? The pain may radiate to the shoulder, arm, neck, back or jaw.3
If you have one or more of the symptoms, you should speak with your primary care physician or cardiologist.
Heart Failure: What Puts Women at Risk
Some risk factors are common among men and women; others are specific to just women, which adds to the high rate of CAD and heart failure in women. What’s more, studies show hormone changes that happen during menopause can worsen existing CAD or put women at increased risk of developing CAD. One thing’s for certain, however: all women, regardless of age or ethnicity, are at risk of heart failure and CAD.
What is Protected PCI with Impella CP?
Protected PCI, or protected stenting, with Impella CP is a widely accepted procedure in which Impella CP, is used to temporarily assist the pumping function of the heart while the interventional cardiologist performs the stenting procedure.
References
- WebMD. (n.d.). Heart failure in women. https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/heart-failure-women#:~:text=About%203%20million%20women%20in%20the%20U.S.%20have%20it
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Heart disease and women. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/women-and-heart-disease.html#:~:text=heart%20disease.1-,Heart%20disease%20is%20the%20leading%20cause%20of%20death%20for%20women%20in%20the%20United%20States%20and%20can%20affect%20women%20at%20any%20age.,-In%202021%2C%20it
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Coronary heart disease in women. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/coronary-heart-disease/women#:~:text=Mental%20stress%20is,lack%20of%20energy
- University of Michigan Health. (n.d.). Coronary artery disease (CAD). https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/cardiac-surgery/patient-information/adult-cardiac-surgery/adult-conditions-treatments/coronary-artery-disease-cad#:~:text=Heart%20failure%20also%20can%20cause%20swelling%20in%20your%20feet%2C%20ankles%2C%20legs%20and%20abdomen
- Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Persistent cough: It may be a sign of heart failure. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/persistent-cough-it-may-be-a-sign-of-heart-failure#:~:text=In%20heart%20failure%2C%20your%20heart%20muscle%20has%20dysfunction%20that%20might%20be%20due%20to%20weak%20contraction%20or%20stiffness.%20This%20can%20allow%20fluid%20to%20back%20up%20in%20your%20lungs%2C%20creating%20a%20condition%20called%20pulmonary%20edema.%20Your%20body%20coughs%20persistently%20in%20an%20effort%20to%20eliminate%20the%20excess%20fluid
- Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Coronary artery disease symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronary-artery-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20350613#:~:text=Chest%20pain%2C%20called,feel%20unusually%20tired
- University of Rochester Medical Center. (n.d.). Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. University of Rochester Medical Center. Retrieved January 28, 2025, from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content?contenttypeid=56&contentid=DM14#:~:text=EFs%20between%2050%25%20and%2070%25%20are%20considered%20normal%20for%20the%20left%20ventricle.%20An%20EF%20under%20or%20equal%20to%2040%25%20means%20the%20muscle%20is%20weakened%20and%20you%20may%20have%20heart%20failure.%20This%20is%20called%20heart%20failure%20with%20reduced%20ejection%20fraction
- Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Heart disease: Risk factors. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-disease/art-20046167#:~:text=Heart%20disease%20risk%20factors%20include%20high%20cholesterol%2C%20high%20blood%20pressure%20and%20obesity
As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary. Only a physician can determine whether Impella is an option for High-Risk PCI and would be an appropriate course of treatment. There are potential risks including acute renal dysfunction, aortic valve injury, bleeding, cardiogenic shock, cerebral vascular accident/stroke, death, hemolysis, limb ischemia, myocardial infarction, renal failure, thrombocytopenia and cardiac or vascular injury (including ventricular perforation). These risks need to be discussed with your doctor and recovery takes time. The success of this procedure depends on many factors, including your physical condition and your body’s ability to tolerate the procedure. Use care in the selection of your doctors and hospital, based on their skill and experience.
IMP-5947