The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

How often do young women die of heart attacks and what can you do to improve your heart health?

  • Written by Sally Inglis, Professor, Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellow, IMPACCT, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney
How often do young women die of heart attacks and what can you do to improve your heart health?

The news of 52-year-old Senator Kimberley Kitching’s death from a suspected heart attack is a tragic loss that has shocked many women[1].

At a time when the community was grappling with the sudden death of Shane Warne[2] – and we asked the men in our lives to pay attention to their heart health – Kitching’s sudden death served as a stark warning[3] of the risk of heart disease to women[4].

These risks[5] are often overlooked, particularly in younger women, and the warning signs may differ from those typically seen in men.

What’s the risk of having a heart attack?

Heart disease is a leading cause of death and disability[6] in both women and men in Australia.

The risk of an acute event[7] (including heart attack) increases with age for both men and women: from five per 100,000 for women aged 25–34 (13 per 100,000 for men) to 2,100 per 100,000 for women aged 85 and over (2,900 per 100,000 for men).

Around 14% of women aged 45-74 years are at high risk[8] of a heart attack over the following five years.

Across all age groups, 20 Australian women die from heart disease each day[9].

How do women experience heart attacks?

Women’s experience of a heart attack can be different to men’s – they are less likely to have chest pain.

Women are more likely[10] to suffer shortness of breath and have pain between the shoulder blades. They’re also likely to have nausea or vomiting.

We often hear of women delaying calling an ambulance or waiting to see if the discomfort eases before they seek care.

Women are also less likely to receive timely treatment[11].

Read more: Women who have heart attacks receive poorer care than men[12]

Effective treatment is available in hospital. But delaying treatment may reduce the benefit of therapies and lead to poorer outcomes.

How to reduce your risk of heart attacks

Taking steps to reduce the risk of heart disease and a heart attack is important for all women. Here are four things you can do today:

1. Get your heart health checked

Australians aged 45 years and older and Indigenous Australians aged 30 years and older can have a Medicare-funded heart health check with a GP[13].

During this appointment, your GP will calculate your risk of having a heart attack in the next five years. This will be done using information from your medical history, family history, lifestyle factors, and measurements such as your blood pressure and a blood test.

Woman gets her blood pressure check.
A heart health check includes getting your blood pressure checked. Shutterstock[14]

Tests may also include an ECG[15] (electrocardiogram) and CT calcium score[16]. An ECG looks at your heart rhythm, while a CT calcium score measures the amount of calcium inside the walls of your heart’s arteries. This can indicate a build-up of plaque (a blockage) inside the blood vessel that could increase your risk of a heart attack.

Based on your risk score, the GP will be able to provide treatment advice to reduce your risk of a heart attack. If the risk score is high, they may recommend specific medicines. At lower risk scores, lifestyle modifications – such as changes to diet, exercise and quitting smoking – may be recommended as the initial approach.

Read more: Women have heart attacks too, but their symptoms are often dismissed as something else[17]

2. Quit smoking

Smoking substantially increases the risk of heart disease. It narrows and clogs the blood vessels, reducing blood supply and oxygen throughout the body. Smoking also makes the blood vessels stiff and unable to stretch.

People who smoke are four times more likely to die of heart disease and three times more likely[18] to die of a heart attack.

Stopping smoking leads to better overall health at any age, and especially heart health. Support to stop smoking[19] is available through Quit Line – it’s never too late to stop.

3. Get moving

Exercise has many physical and mental health benefits, including[20] lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

If you have heart disease, physical activity can help you manage the condition, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and keep your weight in check. Achieving a healthy weight also reduces your risk for heart disease[21].

Walking is a great way to start exercising and can be done with a friend to provide peer support, or within community walking groups[22].

4. Swap unhealthy food

Swap out less healthy food for healthier options, including vegetables and fruits, and cut down on salt and soft drinks.

Making changes can be challenging, but start with a few achievable changes and low-cost, healthy recipes[23].

Woman pushes a shopping trolly of healthy food.
Start with small changes. Shutterstock[24]

Improving access to care

Access to preventative care, specialist support and rehabilitation following a heart attack is critical to reducing death and disability of heart disease.

More can be done to improve access to care, especially in priority groups such as women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and women living in rural and remote Australia.

Read more: According to TV, heart attack victims are rich, white men who clutch their hearts and collapse. Here's why that's a worry[25]

Better access to care requires ensuring primary care workforce capacity, especially in rural and remote areas, as well as funding and policies to increase access to primary care nurses, nurse practitioners and cardiac rehabilitation services.

Telehealth is a valuable tool to improve access to GPs and specialist cardiac services, especially in rural and remote areas.

All Australians have had a wake-up call to be aware of their heart health. Reducing your risk of heart disease begins with making a GP appointment for a heart health check to get personalised support to live a healthy life.

References

  1. ^ shocked many women (www.smh.com.au)
  2. ^ sudden death of Shane Warne (theconversation.com)
  3. ^ warning (herheart.org)
  4. ^ risk of heart disease to women (www.heartfoundation.org.au)
  5. ^ risks (www.aihw.gov.au)
  6. ^ leading cause of death and disability (www.aihw.gov.au)
  7. ^ risk of an acute event (www.aihw.gov.au)
  8. ^ are at high risk (www.mja.com.au)
  9. ^ die from heart disease each day (www.heartfoundation.org.au)
  10. ^ more likely (www.ahajournals.org)
  11. ^ less likely to receive timely treatment (www.mja.com.au)
  12. ^ Women who have heart attacks receive poorer care than men (theconversation.com)
  13. ^ heart health check with a GP (www.heartfoundation.org.au)
  14. ^ Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
  15. ^ ECG (www.heartfoundation.org.au)
  16. ^ CT calcium score (www.mja.com.au)
  17. ^ Women have heart attacks too, but their symptoms are often dismissed as something else (theconversation.com)
  18. ^ three times more likely (prod.heartfoundation.org.au)
  19. ^ Support to stop smoking (www.quit.org.au)
  20. ^ including (www.heartfoundation.org.au)
  21. ^ reduces your risk for heart disease (www.heartfoundation.org.au)
  22. ^ walking groups (walking.heartfoundation.org.au)
  23. ^ low-cost, healthy recipes (www.heartfoundation.org.au)
  24. ^ Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
  25. ^ According to TV, heart attack victims are rich, white men who clutch their hearts and collapse. Here's why that's a worry (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/how-often-do-young-women-die-of-heart-attacks-and-what-can-you-do-to-improve-your-heart-health-179292

Times Magazine

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Decline of Hyper-Casual: How Mid-Core Mobile Games Took Over in 2025

In recent years, the mobile gaming landscape has undergone a significant transformation, with mid-core mobile games emerging as the dominant force in app stores by 2025. This shift is underpinned by changing user habits and evolving monetization tr...

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

What AI Adoption Means for the Future of Workplace Risk Management

Image by freepik As industrial operations become more complex and fast-paced, the risks faced by workers and employers alike continue to grow. Traditional safety models—reliant on manual oversight, reactive investigations, and standardised checklist...

From Beach Bops to Alpine Anthems: Your Sonos Survival Guide for a Long Weekend Escape

Alright, fellow adventurers and relaxation enthusiasts! So, you've packed your bags, charged your devices, and mentally prepared for that glorious King's Birthday long weekend. But hold on, are you really ready? Because a true long weekend warrior kn...

Effective Commercial Pest Control Solutions for a Safer Workplace

Keeping a workplace clean, safe, and free from pests is essential for maintaining productivity, protecting employee health, and upholding a company's reputation. Pests pose health risks, can cause structural damage, and can lead to serious legal an...

The Times Features

Duke of Dural to Get Rooftop Bar as New Owners Invest in Venue Upgrade

The Duke of Dural, in Sydney’s north-west, is set for a major uplift under new ownership, following its acquisition by hospitality group Good Beer Company this week. Led by resp...

Prefab’s Second Life: Why Australia’s Backyard Boom Needs a Circular Makeover

The humble granny flat is being reimagined not just as a fix for housing shortages, but as a cornerstone of circular, factory-built architecture. But are our systems ready to s...

Melbourne’s Burglary Boom: Break-Ins Surge Nearly 25%

Victorian homeowners are being warned to act now, as rising break-ins and falling arrest rates paint a worrying picture for suburban safety. Melbourne residents are facing an ...

Exploring the Curriculum at a Modern Junior School in Melbourne

Key Highlights The curriculum at junior schools emphasises whole-person development, catering to children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. It ensures early year...

Distressed by all the bad news? Here’s how to stay informed but still look after yourself

If you’re feeling like the news is particularly bad at the moment, you’re not alone. But many of us can’t look away – and don’t want to. Engaging with news can help us make ...

The Role of Your GP in Creating a Chronic Disease Management Plan That Works

Living with a long-term condition, whether that is diabetes, asthma, arthritis or heart disease, means making hundreds of small decisions every day. You plan your diet against m...