QUIET SIGNALS, SERIOUS RISK

HEART disease in women rarely arrives with drama.

- TEJAL SINHA

More often, it whispers — through fatigue, breathlessness, disturbed sleep, or an unexplained heaviness that’s easy to dismiss. Yet, behind these subtle signals, lies a growing health concern. As hormonal shifts, chronic stress and modern lifestyles collide, doctors are warning that angina and coronary artery disease are rising steadily among women, often years earlier than expected.

“Oestrogen has a protective effect on blood vessels. As women approach menopause, falling oestrogen levels lead to arterial stiffness, reduced blood flow and increased plaque formation. Even when there was no history of heart disease, the change in transition has substantially increased the risk of angina symptoms,”says Dr E Ravi Shanker, a consultant endocrynologist.