Women and Heart Attacks
Signs of Heart Attack in Women
- Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of women over the age of 25 in the US
- It kills nearly twice as many women as cancer
- Only 13% of women think that heart disease is a threat to their health
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Typical signs of a heart attack include:
- Discomfort, tightness, pressure, fullness, squeezing in the center of the chest
- Crushing chest pain
- Pressure or pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck, upper back, jaw or arms
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Clammy sweats
- Heart flutters
- Paleness
- Unexplained fleeing of anxiety
- Stomach/abdominal pain or indigestion
- Shortness of breath
These symptoms are experienced by men. Women do not show these same symptoms.
- Back pain
- Nausea
- Overwhelming fatigue
- Dizziness
Top five symptoms reported by women are:
- Fatigue
- Trouble sleeping
- Shortness of breath
- Indigestion
- Anxiety
Often women are too busy to notice their symptoms or just chalk them up to stress.
- Quick treatment is very important when having a heart attack and most people (men and women) delay seeking help for 2 hours.
- Women coming into the hospital for a heart attack have a higher death rate and higher risk of complications.
Prevention of Heart disease:
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Know your numbers
- Total Cholesterol less than 200mg
- LDL less than 100mg
- HDL 50mg or higher
- Triglycerides less than 150mg
- Blood pressure less than 120/80
- Fasting glucose less than 100
- BMI less than 25
- Waist Circumference less than 35 inches
- Do not smoke or use tobacco
- Get plenty of exercise – at least 30 minutes most days (more if needing to lose weight)
- Eat a heart healthy diet – fruits, vegetables, grains, low fat or nonfat dairy, fish, legumes, protein low in saturated fat
- Maintain a health weight
- Get checked and treated for depression if needed
- Consult with your Dr. about certain supplements or medications which might be helpful
If you are having symptoms call 911 within 5 minutes and some recommend chewing a full strength aspirin.