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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : November 9, 2018 5:45 PM IST
Warnings on plan packs are noticed more by smokers. © Shutterstock
We all know that men are at greater risk of heart attack than women. But a new study found that due to unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking, the risk of heart attack is higher in women than their male counterparts, besides diabetes and hypertension. According to the IANS report, the study showed that the researchers found an elevated risk of heart attack in women with high blood pressure, and Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes, but not with a high body mass index (BMI).
Elizabeth Millett, an epidemiologist from The George Institute in the UK reportedly said that overall, more men experience heart attacks than women. However, several major risk factors increase the risk of women more than they increase the risk of men, so women with these factors experience a relative disadvantage.
Generally, heart attack patients experience symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, and pain in their arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach. But, women are likely to experience additional symptoms such as unusual tiredness, dizziness, cold sweats, and nausea or vomiting.
The study has been published in the journal The BMJ. For the study, the team have examined 4,72,000 participants aged 40 to 69. 56 per cent of them were women.
High blood pressure, diabetes and smoking increased the risk of a heart attack in both sexes but their impact was far greater in women.
Smoking increased a woman's risk of a heart attack by 55 per cent more than it increased the risk in a man, while hypertension increased a woman's risk of heart attack by an extra 83 per cent relative to its effect in a man.
Type-1 diabetes had an almost three times greater impact on a woman. While Type-2 diabetes, which is usually associated with poor diet and other lifestyle factors, had a 47 per cent greater impact on the heart attack risk of a woman relative to a man
Reportedly, Millet also said that these findings highlight the importance of raising awareness around the risk of heart attack women face, and ensuring that women, as well as men, have access to guideline-based treatments for diabetes and high BP, and to resources to help them stop smoking.
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