For most people a heart attack can be camouflaged by a simple chest pain. However chest pain in women can be a symptom of another problem. In fact chest pain may just be a symptom of a host of other problems. It is typical for many women to be examined for coronary heart disease after having experienced chest pain, but the results turn out to be negative more often than not. The very reason why chest pain is quite difficult to diagnose in women is because only tests related to heart diseases are carried out. Further research and tests have shown that in many instances, chest pain experienced by women is actually a sign of other problems.
Women at risk of heart disease
According to certain studies, heart disease is often not a problem for women who have not yet reached the age of menopause. This is because the high estrogen levels in the body provide ample protection from the narrowing of arteries, leading to a case of atherosclerosis. Nonetheless, women should start worrying about heart ailments once they reach the age after menopause. Compared to men, women are less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease before menopause. In the event that the chest pain is not caused by coronary heart disease, women should be tested further for conditions other than simple chest pain.
What Causes Chest Pain in Women
Usually, a stress test is used in order to diagnose coronary heart diseases successfully in women. In most cases, this test will have positive results making it easier for physicians to point out to an existence of coronary heart disease, but tests like angiograms don’t necessarily provide any significant result. Many researches have pointed out however that in most cases, chest pain can be a sign of microvascular dysfunction or even endothelial dysfunction. Chest pain may be a symptom of microvascular dysfunction since this condition refers to blood vessels that do not dilate and constrict in a normal manner. Since not enough blood is being supplied to the heart chest pain may occur. When a person has endothelial dysfunction however, this means that the cells lining the interior of the blood vessel are no longer able to function normally.
There are other conditions which start out as the simple appearance of chest pain however. These conditions may include mitral prolapse, mitral slenosis, vulvular heart disease, angina, among others. Also chest pain can also be caused by the condition referred to as pulmonary embolism, wherein blood clots develop in major blood vessels, impeding the normal flow of blood to the lungs. Stress and anxiety are also common reasons for chest pain in women, but other conditions include Pneumothorax and esophageal reflux.
When the pain is on the right side
Chest pain located in the right side of the chest is not likely to be caused by heart ailments. Many other conditions such as pneumonia and gallstone formations can be attributed to chest pain. In the event that coronary heart disease is not detected due to the feeling of chest pain, it is best to get further tests. In most cases, chest pain can signify other, but no less worse health conditions in women.
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