About 3 Million Women in the U.S. Have Heart Failure1

Each year, approximately 455,000 more women are diagnosed with heart failure, and that number continues to increase2.

While heart disease is the leading cause of death of women, misconceptions persist that it affects men more than women3. This misunderstanding may be due to underrepresentation of women in clinical studies4.

Approximately 6.7 million Americans over 20 years of age have heart failure, and the prevalence is expected to rise to 8.5 million Americans by 20305. According to Harvard Medical School, heart failure affects more than 2.5 million women and is the leading reason for hospitalization in women over 656."Heart failure" might sound like the heart just stops suddenly, but it's actually a slow loss of the heart's ability to pump and move blood around the body. 

Let’s explore why heart failure, or coronary artery disease (CAD), is affecting women at a higher rate – and how to treat and prevent the disease.

Women are less likely to receive evidence-based heart failure therapies, and experience delays in referral for and access to advanced HF therapies7. Despite these differences, women are underrepresented in HF clinical trials, accounting for approximately 20-29% of study participants, impeding the development of evidence-based, sex-specific therapeutic approaches8,9.

 

If you have heart failure or CAD, you may have options. 

Take the Questionnaire

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 asleep10? 
  • Pain in the jaw, throat, or neck – This can be a sign of reduced blood flow to the heart10. 
  • Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain – Indigestion can be an often-overlooked symptom of CAD10.
  • Shortness of breath – Do you have trouble catching your breath when doing regular activities or laying down10? 
  • Swelling (edema) – In the legs, ankles, feet, stomach and neck11. 
  • Coughing – A persistent, unexplained cough could be a sign that fluid is building up in your lungs12. 
  • Fatigue – Do you constantly feel tired or weak13? 
  • 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%14.
  • 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 jaw10.  


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.

Risk factors common in both women and men15 

  • High cholesterol
  • High blood pressure 
  • Obesity

 

Additional risk factors for women 

  • Menopause/hormonal imbalance
  • Stress
  • Diabetes 
  • Depression
  • Smoking
  • Inactivity
  • Pregnancy complications
  • Family history of early heart disease
  • Inflammatory diseases4

In general, black Americans have higher rates of CAD compared to white Americans. This is partly due to genetics, socio-economic factors, and lifestyle16. Black women are at even greater risk. 

Heart Icon

Black women are 50% more likely to develop heart failure compared to white women17

Clock Icon

Black women are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease earlier than other ethnicities18

Heartbeat Icon

Black women are 20% more likely to suffer a cardiovascular-related death19

A Range of Treatment Options

Your physician may recommend a variety of treatment options depending on the severity of your CAD. The goal is to reduce your risk of complications, improve your overall heart health, and relieve your CAD-related symptoms. Treatment may include: 

Running Icon

Lifestyle changes

Adjustments to your daily life can greatly improve your heart health: eating healthier with a focus on heart-healthy foods, exercising regularly and quitting smoking.20

Pill Icon

Medications

There are a range of medication types that can improve your heart health, including statins, blood thinners, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors.20

Hospital Bed with Nurse Icon

Surgery

Your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to help restore blood flow to the heart.20

Impella Icon

Interventional procedures

Your doctor may suggest a minimally invasive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) stenting to restore heart blood flow. For high-risk patients, Impella CP® with SmartAssist® might be used during the procedure21,22

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.

Could Impella be right for you?

Take the questionnaire

References

  1. 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
  2. WebMD. (n.d.). Heart failure in women. https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/heart-failure-women#:~:text=Some%20455%2C000%20more%20join%20the%20ranks%20each%20year%2C%20and%20that%20number%20is%20on%20the%20rise
  3. 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
  4. American College of Cardiology. (2024, February 1). Focus on heart failure: Heart failure in women - understanding the differences to change the paradigm. https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Articles/2024/02/01/01/42/focus-on-heart-failure-heart-failure-in-women-understanding-the-differences-to-change-the-paradigm#:~:text=Despite%20these%20differences%2C-,women%20are%20underrepresented%20in%20HF%20clinical%20trials%2C%20accounting%20for%20approximately%2020%2D25%25%20of%20study%20participants%2C%20impeding%20the%20development%20of%20evidence%2Dbased%2C%20sex%2Dspecific%20therapeutic%20approaches.,-Pathophysiologic%20Sex%20Differences
  5. Heart Failure Society of America. (n.d.). Heart failure rate expected to rise to 8.5 million Americans by 2030: New HFSA initiative identifies challenges. https://hfsa.org/heart-failure-hf-rate-expected-rise-85-million-americans-2030-new-hfsa-initiative-identifies#:~:text=Approximately%206.7%20million%20Americans%20over%2020%20years%20of%20age%20have%20heart%20failure%20(HF)%2C%20and%20the%20prevalence%20is%20expected%20to%20rise%20to%208.5%20million%20Americans%20by%202030
  6. Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). Heart failure in women. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/heart_failure_in_women#:~:text=When%20we%20think%20about%20cardiovascular%20catastrophes%2C%20heart%20attack%20and%20stroke%20leap%20to%20mind.%20We%27re%20less%20likely%20to%20think%20of%20heart%20failure%2C%20though%20it%20affects%20more%20than%202.5%20million%20women%20and%20is%20the%20leading%20reason%20for%20hospitalization%20(and%20a%20major%20cause%20of%20death)%20in%20women%20over%2065
  7. American College of Cardiology. (2024, February 1). Focus on heart failure: Heart failure in women - understanding the differences to change the paradigm. https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Articles/2024/02/01/01/42/focus-on-heart-failure-heart-failure-in-women-understanding-the-differences-to-change-the-paradigm#:~:text=Women%20are%20less%20likely%20to%20receive%20evidence%2Dbased%20HF%20therapies%2C%20and%20experience%20delays%20in%20referral%20for%20and%20access%20to%20advanced%20HF%20therapies
  8. American College of Cardiology. (2024, February 1). Focus on heart failure: Heart failure in women - understanding the differences to change the paradigm. https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Articles/2024/02/01/01/42/focus-on-heart-failure-heart-failure-in-women-understanding-the-differences-to-change-the-paradigm#:~:text=Despite%20these%20differences%2C%20women%20are%20underrepresented%20in%20HF%20clinical%20trials%2C%20accounting%20for%20approximately%2020%2D25%25%20of%20study%20participants%2C%20impeding%20the%20development%20of%20evidence%2Dbased%2C%20sex%2Dspecific%20therapeutic%20approaches
  9. National Library of Medicine. (2021, July 13). Sex differences in heart failure trials. PubMed Central. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8890694/#:~:text=Although%20the%20inclusion%20of%20women%20in%20HF%20trials%20had%20improved%20from%20the%201980s%20to%202000s%2C%20female%20representation%20was%20lowest%20in%20HF%20guideline%20citations%20at%2029%25%2C%20despite%20an%20estimated%20population%20prevalence%20of%20HF%20of%2047%25
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Recognizing and tackling a persistent problem: Cardiovascular health inequities. PubMed Central. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7371547/#:~:text=their%20unique%20needs.-,Recognizing%20and%20Tackling%20a%20Persistent%20Problem,-Cardiovascular%20health%20inequities
  17. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Ethnicity and heart disease. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23051-ethnicity-and-heart-disease#:~:text=Black%20women%20have%20a%2050%25%20higher%20risk%20of%20heart%20failure%20compared%20with%20white%20women
  18. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Cardiovascular disease burden in African American women. PubMed Central. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7371547/#:~:text=African%20American%20women%20have%20the%20highest%20cardiovascular%20disease%20burden%20compared%20with%20women%20of%20other%20ethnic%20groups
  19. Cedars-Sinai. (n.d.). Racial and ethnic disparities in heart disease. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/racial-and-ethnic-disparities-evaluated-in-heart-disease/#:~:text=Heart%20Institute.-,While%20heart%20disease%20is%20the%20leading%20cause%20of%20death%20for%20women,disease%20and%20a%20nearly%2020%25%20higher%20rate%20of%20cardiovascular%2Drelated%20death.,-But%20the%20reasons
  20. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Coronary artery disease (CAD): Symptoms and causes. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/coronary-artery-disease.html#cdc_disease_basics_treatment-treatment-and-recovery
  21. Wollmuth, J., et al. (2022). Cardiac interventions for heart disease. Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, 1(5), 100350–100350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jscai.2022.100350
  22. O’Neill, E., et al. (2022). Cardiovascular health and interventions. American Heart Journal, 248, 139–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2022.02.006

IMP-5947

The Protected PCI community
is now on HeartRecovery.com

Providing education and training to help health care professionals
recover hearts, oxygenate the body and save lives.
Explore Now