Heart Diseases in Young Women Are More Risky Than in Men

Cardiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Süha Çetin explained that the increasing prevalence of heart diseases in young women is triggered by factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking, and can be more fatal compared to men.

The main factors behind the increase in heart diseases among young women include obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Cardiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Süha Çetin stated that these risk factors cause much greater damage to women's cardiovascular systems compared to men. When individuals in the same age group are compared, smoking or diabetes can leave more severe damage to women's hearts. Even if women's blood pressure levels appear lower than those of men, these levels can pave the way for cardiovascular diseases.

Research reveals that early menopause before the age of 40, hormonal ovarian syndromes, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and rheumatic diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis negatively affect heart health. Experts emphasize that women aged between 20 and 40 should have routine heart check-ups, and highlight the importance of keeping blood pressure at 120/80 mmHg, LDL cholesterol at 100 mg/dL, body mass index at 25, and three-month average blood sugar (Hemoglobin A1c) at 5.6 or below. Prof. Dr. Çetin noted that even performing half of the physical activity recommended for men may be sufficient for women to reduce the risk of heart attack, and stated that advanced tests such as computed tomography detecting vascular calcification, Lipoprotein (a), and CRP should not be neglected.