Listen to this story:

Many things may affect your risks for diseases and health conditions. Your family history, lifestyle and even where you live play a role — but so can your gender. If we’re all human beings, why are there such big health differences in men and women?

Carmen W. Landrau, MD, a cardiologist who is a professional member of the American Heart Association (AHA) and a participant in its National Hispanic Latino Cardiovascular Collaborative, explains that much of it comes down to hormones — chemical messengers that the body produces. They tell your organs, muscles and tissues how to function. “Biological differences related to hormones … influence susceptibility to certain diseases, symptoms and overall health behaviors. For example, estrogen can have a protective effect for women during their reproductive years.”

Other factors also play a role in health, according to Dr. Landrau. For example, men are less likely to seek medical care. More than half don’t have regular health checks. Women are more likely to visit a doctor, but the treatment they get can be very different. Research from the National Library of Medicine shows that women wait longer for diagnoses and pain relief. Women are also more likely to get a wrong diagnosis or be released from care during a serious medical problem.

Understanding your health risks, common symptoms and suggested preventive screenings is important for everyone. It’s also good to learn how conditions affect men and women differently so you know what to look for and how to stay healthy.

"Biological differences related to hormones … influence susceptibility to certain diseases, symptoms and overall health behaviors."
—Carmen W. Landrau, MD

Heart Attack and Heart Disease

Men and women experience heart attacks — one of the most common forms of heart disease — in different ways. Heart attacks tend to strike men at younger ages than women. “The average age for a man’s first heart attack is 65, compared with 72 years in women,” says Dr. Landrau.

For all people, the most common heart attack symptom is chest pain, according to Dr. Landrau. But women can have different symptoms like indigestion, fainting or pain in the lower chest. In a heart attack emergency, many people think of better-known men’s symptoms first. That can lead to missing women’s unique symptoms of this dangerous disease. Knowing how heart attacks show up differently in women can be lifesaving. It may make all the difference in getting to the hospital on time and being treated in the right way.

Signs of Heart Attack

Know the most common signs of heart attack in women and men, according to Dr. Landrau. Click below to learn more:

Heart attack is just one form of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death among all people, according to Dr. Landrau. Other heart diseases, including coronary artery disease, angina and arrythmia, have variations in men and women. There is still a lot for doctors to learn about how each affects people in different ways. For many years, research mostly focused on heart disease in men. More recently, scientists have started to look deeper into the specific dangers of heart disease for women — and how to treat them correctly, according to Dr. Landrau.

High Blood Pressure

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that men are more likely than women to have high blood pressure. That likelihood only increases with age. After age 60, 71.6% of people with high blood pressure are men.

“The best way to know if there is a problem is to get your blood pressure checked [during an appointment],” says Traci Jurrens, MD, a cardiologist in the Nebraska Methodist Health System. As scientific knowledge changes, so does advice about treating blood pressure. A reading that was considered normal during a past visit might now be a cause for concern. So don’t be surprised if a small blood pressure increase at your yearly visit leads to a serious discussion. “We’re now treating blood pressure with medications earlier,” says Dr. Landrau.

Scientists have also started investigating whether normal blood pressure levels should be different for men and women. Recent studies have shown that women start to experience the negative effects of high blood pressure at lower readings. However, more research is needed.

Blood Pressure: Know What’s Normal

Normal blood pressure for men and women is now lower than 120 for systolic (the top number) and lower than 80 for diastolic (the bottom number), according to Dr. Jurrens.

Click here to print this chart

Get to know your risks for and family history of high blood pressure. Share that information with your primary care provider (PCP) so they can better understand how to treat you. If you have a high reading, your PCP might ask you to take blood pressure readings at home. At a follow-up appointment, your at-home records can be compared with in-office readings to make sure they’re accurate.

“Women are affected [more than men] by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.”

—Allison B. Reiss, MD

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

“Women are affected [more than men] by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease,” says Allison B. Reiss, MD, associate professor at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine and a member of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s Medical, Scientific and Memory Screening Advisory Board. She says that the risk of having dementia after age 65 is more than 55% greater for women.

The reasons why women are more affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s are not fully understood. Scientists are researching hormone changes in menopause and the way certain genes act in women. They are also looking at whether the higher rates are tied to women tending to live longer than men. Dr. Reiss says this ongoing research is needed and that more women need to be included in studies. “The [lack] of women in studies is a big problem.”

When it comes to memory and aging, a bit of forgetfulness is normal for everyone. But other signs may indicate a problem like dementia. Forgetting how to use a regular household item such as a fork, practicing unusual spending habits, or failing to recognize a close friend or relative can be reasons to visit your doctor. “[Pay attention] if the person seems [lost] in familiar places or doesn’t store new memories, so they keep asking the same questions over and over,” says Dr. Reiss. One of the most common early signs of Alzheimer’s is forgetting recently learned information. If you see worrying signs, dementia screenings can be done online or at your provider’s office. “If the screening is positive, additional testing will be needed,” Dr. Reiss adds.

Osteoporosis

Known as a silent disease, osteoporosis often isn’t found until you break a bone. It's a condition that primarily affects females and is hard to detect without screening. The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation says up to 80% of people with it are women.

A key reason for this difference? Menopause. During menopause, women lose estrogen — an important hormone for bone density — and their bones become weaker. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says that men's bones get weak slower than women's because men don't have as significant hormone changes.

Recommendations for screenings differ by sex. Starting at age 65, women should have bone mineral density scans. Women who have a family history of osteoporosis or previous fractures should start screenings earlier. Men should begin screening by age 70. If they have low testosterone or have had bone breaks, they should start earlier.

Lifestyle changes can help limit the risks of osteoporosis. “While bone density peaks in early adulthood, calcium intake in your 60s and beyond can still help slow bone loss and reduce fracture risk, especially when paired with vitamin D,” says Mikhail Kogan, MD, chief medical officer at the GW Center for Integrative Medicine and an associate professor of geriatric and palliative medicine. “The key is pairing these nutrients with weight-bearing exercises.”

A Closer Look at Your Bones

Two kinds of scans help diagnose osteoporosis. Your provider can help determine which is right for you.

1. DEXA scan
A certified technician conducts an X-ray at a radiology facility to measure the calcium and other minerals in your bones.

2. Ultrasound
A certified technician conducts an ultrasound of your heel or wrist at your provider’s office to check your bone density level.

Diabetes

CDC statistics show that more men than women are diagnosed with diabetes (both Type 1 and Type 2) — 18% compared to 13.7%. There are other differences that set apart men and women with diabetes. Men with the disease tend to have a lower body weight than women who have it. However, men typically store more fat in their abdomen — a known risk factor for diabetes.

For women, diabetes is often more serious. They have a higher risk of complications and a greater risk of death, says Roula Zahr, MD, endocrinologist and diabetes expert at Oregon Health and Science University’s Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center. She notes that diabetes poses a greater risk to women’s hearts than men’s. “Our heart disease risk increases more than men’s. Having diabetes doubles men’s heart disease risk. But for women, the risk increases even more.”

The need for diabetes screenings depends on your risk factors. You should talk to your doctor any time you have symptoms, which are generally the same in men and women and include:

Constant thirst and urination
Tiredness
Dizziness
Weight loss

You should also talk to your doctor about diabetes if you’re overweight or obese, have a family history of the disease, had gestational diabetes, or have prediabetes or HIV.

“Having diabetes doubles men’s heart disease risk. But for women, the risk increases even more.”

—Roula Zahr, MD

Always More to Learn

There’s growing awareness about the different health challenges women and men face. But understanding those differences is a challenge. Researchers have pieced together many factors — age, hormones, lifestyle and more — to get the full picture. Dr. Landrau says that a deeper dive into causes, outcomes and solutions is the key to better treatments in the future. “More research is needed to help health care professionals be aware and better understand sex differences and [plan] treatment accordingly to provide more individualized care.”

Which Screenings Do You Need?

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends the following health exams for older adults. In some cases, you may need to get screened more than once a year. Use the checklist below as a guide, and talk to your primary care provider (PCP) about your needs.

Click here to print this checklist

< Previous story__ |__ Next story >

Table of Contents

This publication is for informational purposes only and does not replace the care or advice of a doctor. Always talk with a doctor before beginning any exercise program, therapy or medication. Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Contact the plan for more information. Limitations, copayments and restrictions may apply. Benefits, premium and/or copayments/coinsurance may change on January 1 of each year. UnitedHealthcare does not provide any assurances nor accept any responsibility or liability regarding the quality, nutritional value, or safety of the included recipes.

His and

Hers

Health

Common conditions and diseases can show up in surprisingly different ways for men and women.

—Allison B. Reiss, MD

—Roula Zahr, MD