Angina in women: Epidemiology, prognosis and diagnosis

Abstract

Angina with normal coronary arteries/no obstructive coronary artery disease is a -debilitating condition that affects more women than men. Overall, 50-80 % of women evaluated for chest pain have non-obstructive disease by cardiac catheterization and the total number of women impacted is unknown. Contrary to prior beliefs about the benign nature of angina with normal coronary arteries/no obstructive coronary artery disease, the prognosis is not benign, and there is considerably morbidity. The heterogeneous etiologies, gender differences in pain perception, concomitant pain and co-morbidities make this condition difficult to study and manage but recently new knowledge has emerged. When treating this condition it is recommended that these patients should be handled with great concern. The responsible doctor must initiate optimal diagnostic investigations as well as intensive recommendations of lifestyle changes and aggressive treatment of risk factors including the ones related to sex hormones like premature menopause, polycystic ovarian syndrome, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, gestational diabetes or gestational hypertension.