For decades, heart attacks were considered a health crisis that mainly affected older men. But recent research is proving otherwise. Emerging studies are painting a worrying new picture: younger women are increasingly experiencing heart attacks, often without realizing they were even at risk.
A landmark study released this month by the Mayo Clinic, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, sheds new light on why younger women are increasingly suffering heart attacks and why many of these heart attacks are not what doctors traditionally expect. Using data collected over 15 years from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, researchers examined hundreds of heart attacks in people aged 65 and under. The results were surprising: more than half of heart attacks in younger women weren’t caused by blocked arteries from plaque buildup, but by other hidden causes.
Why is this happening? Experts point to a mix of hidden risk factors – ranging from hormonal changes and rising stress levels to autoimmune diseases, pregnancy complications, and lifestyle shifts. Unlike the “classic” image of a heart attack – sudden chest pain radiating down the arm – women’s warning signs can look very different, which means they may delay getting help until it’s too late.
This surge is raising some urgent questions: Are we overlooking women’s heart health? Are hidden risks going unnoticed in everyday life? And most importantly, how can younger women spot the subtle signs before a crisis strikes?
Let’s take a closer look at what’s fueling this trend and causing the spike.