7. Angina in females
Although stable angina is more common in males, owing to their hormonal susceptibility to having high levels of cholesterol, and therefore a higher risk of deposition of this cholesterol and narrowing of the coronary arteries, females have a higher chance to develop other types of angina most commonly microvascular angina. Microvascular angina affects the small blood vessels that branch off the primary coronary arteries supplying the heart. This different pathology of angina causes symptoms that may be different than the classical ones discussed above, where:
- Symptoms may be subtler in women, with nausea, fatigue, and a general feeling of weakness and unwellness.
- Pain may be sharp rather than squeezing and may last for more than a few minutes.
- Pain may occur at night or at rest and is not relieved rapidly by rest or nitrates, in contrast to the typical anginal pain.
- It may be associated with other symptoms related to other diseases that commonly occur with it as migraine headaches.
