Heart disease in women
Take a moment and picture someone having a heart attack. Did you picture a man, sweating and grabbing his chest? If so, you wouldn’t be alone.
Studies have shown that only 1 in 5 American women realize that heart disease is the number one killer in women (and more deadly than all cancers combined). While 1 in 31 deaths in women each year are caused by breast cancer, 1 in 3 deaths in women are caused by heart disease.1 One only has to look at the media attention and the number of women represented in research studies to understand why women grossly underestimate their risk of developing significant heart disease.
So what can female patients do to decrease the risk of being ad¬versely affected by heart disease? The first step is to understand one’s individual risk of developing heart disease. In addition to the traditional risk factors for developing coronary disease (high cholesterol, current smoking, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and family history of heart disease), other risk factors specific to women include early menopause, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
While some risk factors cannot be changed such as family history of heart disease, other risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, and obesity can be greatly modified. Take a proactive role with your physi¬cian in understanding your overall risk of heart disease by asking what you can do to decrease your risk. Ensure that you are having your blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid panels, weight and body-mass index checked at the appropriate intervals.
Simple tips that I tell all of my patients who are overweight
and/or hypertensive:
• Weigh yourself daily. Research studies have shown that people who weigh themselves daily gain less weight than those who do not.
• Check the calorie content (and corresponding serving size) of
everything you eat. Most chain eateries post their nutritional information on-line or in their restaurant. You can then discuss with your physician what an appropriate daily caloric intake is given your age and other risk factors (A general rule of thumb is around 2,000 calories/day).
• Buy a home blood pressure cuff and check your blood pressure several times per week and bring your blood pressure readings in to your physician if you have, or are at risk for developing high
blood pressure.
The other important component alongside prevention of heart disease is early recognition of signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Unfortunately, women do not have as straightforward symptoms as their male counterparts; only half of women with heart attacks have chest pain. In addition to chest pain, women may report back or neck pain, heartburn/indigestion, nausea, vomiting, extreme fatigue, or shortness of breath/difficulty breathing.
Remember, the first step to healthy living is education. Should you or anyone you know have any further questions regarding your risk of heart disease, contact your local physician or neighboring cardiologist.
Dr. Brian A. Staub, MD practices at two locations–WHS Cardiovascular Care in Washington and Southwest Regional Medical Center.
Dr. Staub completed his medical degree and residency at the University of Pittsburgh, and completed his Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at Allegheny General Hospital. He is board certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine.
To schedule an appointment please call 724.225.6500 or visit whsdocs.org.
.