Ask The Doctors: April 2011 Women’s Edition

Although women have some atypical symptoms of heart disease, most feel chest pressure or tightness with exercise. Women also experience fatigue or shortness of breath while exerting themselves. Heart symptoms usually last 5 to 15 minutes, not seconds. A stress test with imaging is recommended for women, but a dobutamine echocardiogram or exercise echocardiogram would be better, because these studies do not emit radiation. However, your history and symptoms will dictate which test you should have.