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I'm sure most of you know by now that heart disease is the number one killer of both men AND women. Even though most of us are fairly young, there's always a few people to break the statistics (i.e. a person in her 20's having a heart attack).
Besides the obvious of trying to eat a heart healthy diet, be sure that your cholesterol levels and blood pressure are normal, and of course, exercise and give your heart a workout!
I took the following information from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute site ( http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime/haws/women.htm) regarding signs of a heart attack in women:
Women should learn the heart attack warning signs. These are:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="80%" align=center summary="This table used for layout purposes only" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=20>
</TD><TD vAlign=top width=*>Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest.
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=20>
</TD><TD vAlign=top width=*>Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=20>
</TD><TD vAlign=top width=*>Other symptoms, such as a shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
If you feel heart attack symptoms, do not delay. Remember, minutes matter! Do not wait for more than a few minutes–5 minutes at most–to call 9-1-1. Your family will benefit most if you seek fast treatment.
***
And don't let yourself be bullied at the hospital! I've read stories of women who go to the hospital with symptoms of a heart attack, but instead of receiving an EKG, blood test or other tests to determine whether it was a heart attack, they were told it was gas or stress and sent home. If you are truly concerned, make them give you a test! Even if it turns out to be nothing, having peace of mind will have been worth it... and if it turns out that you are having a heart problem/attack, then you could possibly have saved your life.
Just thought I'd share some info and reminders... I'm not in the medical field, but my dad had a heart attack at age 42 (and his dad had three), which increases my own risks, so I've done some studying on the issue.
Happy heart health everyone!!
Besides the obvious of trying to eat a heart healthy diet, be sure that your cholesterol levels and blood pressure are normal, and of course, exercise and give your heart a workout!
I took the following information from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute site ( http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime/haws/women.htm) regarding signs of a heart attack in women:
Women should learn the heart attack warning signs. These are:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="80%" align=center summary="This table used for layout purposes only" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=20>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=20>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=20>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
If you feel heart attack symptoms, do not delay. Remember, minutes matter! Do not wait for more than a few minutes–5 minutes at most–to call 9-1-1. Your family will benefit most if you seek fast treatment.
***
And don't let yourself be bullied at the hospital! I've read stories of women who go to the hospital with symptoms of a heart attack, but instead of receiving an EKG, blood test or other tests to determine whether it was a heart attack, they were told it was gas or stress and sent home. If you are truly concerned, make them give you a test! Even if it turns out to be nothing, having peace of mind will have been worth it... and if it turns out that you are having a heart problem/attack, then you could possibly have saved your life.
Just thought I'd share some info and reminders... I'm not in the medical field, but my dad had a heart attack at age 42 (and his dad had three), which increases my own risks, so I've done some studying on the issue.
Happy heart health everyone!!
