Health advice for a woman’s heart
by Lynda Shrager
The unexpected and tragic death of a 53-year-old friend from massive heart attack recently set off a buzz of talk in our community. How could someone die of heart attack so young and without warning? Many don’t realize that cardiovascular disease is the single largest killer of women in this country and it is especially prevalent after menopause.
It is especially dangerous in women because, although they are as likely as men to have a heart attack, they are more likely to die within a year of their first one. This may be because their symptoms are not recognized soon enough, so treatment is delayed and they suffer more heart damage.
A study by the National Institute of Health (NIH) titled “Women’s Early Warning Symptoms of AMI” found that 95 percent of women experienced symptoms that were new or different a month or more before having their heart attack, or acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
The study found that women’s symptoms are not as predictable as men’s. It is therefore critical for both women and their clinicians to take this into account and to ensure that appropriate treatment begins as soon as possible.
Typical warning signs of an impending heart attack in both men and women include: chest pain or discomfort feeling like a tight ache, pressure or squeezing sensation that may be constant or intermittent; pain or discomfort spreading through the upper body to the arms, neck, shoulders, back, teeth or jaw, pain extending into the abdominal area feeling like heartburn, profound fatigue; shortness of breath or shallow breathing doom or like one is having a panic attack; faintness or dizzeness; breaking into a cold sweat; nausea, vomiting or upset stomach.
In the NIH study, fewer than 30 percent reported chest pain or discomfort prior to the heart attack, and 43 percent never had chest pain during any phase of the attack. Instead, the major symptoms prior to the heart attack included unusual fatigue, sleep disturbance, shortness of breath, indigestion and anxiety.
The major symptoms experienced during the attack included: shortness of breath, weakness especially of the arms, unusual fatigue, cold sweat and dizziness.
So, women, organize your thoughts and be armed with knowledge that can possibly save your life:
- Understand that heart attacks can begin with subtle symptoms that can come and go
- Don’t be tempted to downplay symptoms as just indigestion or anxiety or a bad hot flash. Instead err on the side of safety because quick treatment improves survival rates and minimizes long-term damage.
- Call the hospital’s emergency medical services if you are having symptoms drive you to the hospital.
- Drive yourself only as last resort.
- Try chewing an aspirin (if you are not allergic) which can greatly reduce the chance of dying from a heart attack.
- To rule out an MI, be sure to insist on test such as EKGs and blood tests measuring cardiac enzymes and C-reactive protein.
Source: Manila Bulletin