Heart disease and stroke are the leading cause of premature death in Canadian women.

 

The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s annual report on women’s heart and brain health says while some progress has been made in taking women’s health more seriously there are still gaps that need to be addressed.

 

Winnipeg cardiologist Doctor Mahwash Saeed says heart disease and stroke symptoms tend to differ between men and women.......

 

“When we think about things like heart attacks we think about squeezing chest pain and that’s usually the symptoms that men present with. Women are more likely to experience discomfort in their neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or upper belly.  They can also sometimes come in with shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting.  Men can also present with these symptoms but women are more likely to.”

 

The report finds there are greater inequities that some women may face including socioeconomic status, ethnicity, location, disabilities, age, and weight.