Key result
Cardiovascular disease accounts for 47% of total female mortality, yet women often present with atypical acute coronary syndrome symptoms and experience significant post-event anxiety.
Highlights the atypical presentation of acute coronary syndrome in women and emphasizes the importance of nursing assessment and management for post-event anxiety.
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Requires sex-specific assessment for atypical ACS and post-event anxiety in women; leaves open efficacy of targeted nursing protocols.
Cardiovascular disease remains the biggest global killer of women accounting for 47% of total female mortality yet many women remain unaware of this citing cancer as the major health threat. Chest pain is synonymous with the presentation of cardiac disease and impending acute coronary syndrome (ACS) however it is often not the main presenting symptom in many women and ACS symptoms as presented by women are often described as ‘atypical’. Psychological reactions such as anxiety are common following an acute cardiac event with younger women at greater risk. This article describes the neurobiology of chest pain, the differences in presentation with ACS by women and the nursing assessment and management of anxiety. A case study is used to illustrate the issues.
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Shirley Ingram (2012) conducted a review in Acute coronary syndrome and chest pain in women. Cardiovascular disease accounts for 47% of total female mortality, yet women often present with atypical acute coronary syndrome symptoms and experience significant post-event anxiety.
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