Women's Heart Health in Singapore
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. Yet women's symptoms are still routinely missed, dismissed, or mistaken for stress and anxiety.
The reason is biology: women's hearts, hormones, and risk patterns differ from men's, but most cardiac care was built around the male model.
The result is later diagnosis and poorer outcomes for women.
This guide explains how women's heart health differs, what to watch for at each life stage, and when to seek specialist care.
Why women's hearts tell a different story
Most of what the public knows about heart attacks, crushing chest pain, radiating down the left arm, comes from research done predominantly on men.
Women are just as likely to have a heart attack, but more likely to experience it as:
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Unusual fatigue, sometimes for days beforehand
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Breathlessness with little exertion
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Nausea or indigestion-like discomfort
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Pain in the back, jaw, or neck rather than the chest
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Disrupted sleep in the lead-up
These symptoms are easy to dismiss as stress, gastric upset, or "just being tired", which is a large part of why women tend to arrive at hospital later than men, and why their heart disease is more likely to be missed on a first assessment.
Heart Conditions More Common in Women
Beyond symptoms, women are also affected by a distinct group of conditions that don't show up on a standard angiogram:
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Microvascular Dysfunction & Coronary Vasospasm:
The small vessels of the heart function abnormally even though the main arteries look normal. This can cause real, significant chest pain that a "normal" angiogram doesn't explain.
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Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD):
A tear in the artery wall, and one of the leading causes of heart attack in younger women, often around pregnancy or the postpartum period.
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Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy (Broken Heart Syndrome):
A stress-triggered weakening of the heart muscle that can mimic a heart attack, more common after menopause.
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Chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy:
Heart muscle strain that can follow certain cancer treatments, particularly relevant after breast cancer therapy.
These require a cardiologist familiar with female-specific heart patterns.
How your risk changes through life
Hormonal shifts across a woman's life meaningfully change cardiovascular risk. This is one of the most overlooked parts of heart health.
Reproductive years:
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Conditions like PCOS and endometriosis are linked to higher long-term cardiovascular risk, often well before any symptoms appear.
Pregnancy:
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Pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, and peripartum cardiomyopathy don't just affect pregnancy itself. They're markers of higher heart disease risk for decades afterward.
[Read more: Pregnancy & Postpartum Heart Health]
Perimenopause & Menopause:
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Falling oestrogen removes a layer of natural cardiovascular protection. This is when palpitations, blood pressure changes, and cholesterol shifts often first appear.
[Read more: Menopause & Heart Health]
Postmenopause:
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Cardiovascular risk converges with, and in some respects exceeds, that of men of the same age. Cholesterol management and screening become especially important here.
[Read more: Cholesterol & Lipid Management for Women]
Your heart changes with each stage. Your care should too.
Explore Women's Heart Health by Topic
Heart Symptoms in Women
Fatigue, jaw pain, nausea, breathlessness. The signs that are easy to dismiss but shouldn't be. Learn what to watch for and when it's urgent.
Menopause & Heart Health
Why cardiovascular risk rises after menopause, the truth about HRT and the heart, and how to tell palpitations from perimenopause.
Pregnancy & Postpartum Heart Health
Pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension and diabetes all predict lifelong heart risk. What every woman should know, and monitor.
Cholesterol & Lp(a) in Women
Why women's cholesterol is often overlooked, how menopause shifts your lipid profile, and when inherited risk (Lp(a)) matters.
When to get checked
Trust your instincts.
If something feels "off", even if it doesn't match the textbook description of a heart attack,it's worth a formal assessment rather than waiting to see if it passes.
This matters especially if you have:
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A family history of early heart disease
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A history of pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, or pregnancy complications
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PCOS or endometriosis
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Are in perimenopause or menopause and noticing new symptoms
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A personal history of breast cancer treatment
Expert Women's Heart Care
with Dr Chan Po Fun
Dr Chan Po Fun is one of Singapore's few female consultant cardiologists, with a focused practice in women's heart health, lipid management and longevity.
MBBS (S'pore) · MMed (S'pore) · MRCP (UK) · FRCP (UK) · FAMS (Cardiology) · FESC
Care plans are built to fit real life, not a generic checklist.
Trusted by patients seeking a female cardiologist in Singapore for clear, personalised care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are heart symptoms different in women?
Chest discomfort remains a common symptom of acute coronary syndrome in both women and men. Women may be more likely to experience accompanying symptoms such as nausea, breathlessness, unusual fatigue, or back and jaw discomfort. Symptoms vary considerably between individuals and should be assessed according to the overall clinical context.
At what age should women start heart screening?
Establish a baseline in your 20s–30s. Risk rises after menopause, so screening becomes more important from your 40s onward, earlier if you have risk factors.
Does menopause affect heart health?
Yes. Falling estrogen after menopause is associated with rising cardiovascular risk, changes in cholesterol, and new symptoms like palpitations.
Can pregnancy complications affect my heart later?
Yes. Pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes are all linked to higher long-term cardiovascular risk and warrant ongoing monitoring.
Do I need a referral to see a cardiologist in Singapore?
No. You can book directly by WhatsApp, phone or online form.