We all know the classic story.
A 60-year-old man is shoveling the sidewalk after the first big snow storm of the year. Suddenly he grabs at his chest, says he feels an “elephant sitting on him,” becomes short of breath and nauseous. He is rushed to the hospital where he is diagnosed as having a heart attack.
Amazingly, if you change the “he” to a “she,” the presentation is often very different. There is no “typical presentation” of a heart attack in women. Women often experience chest pain, but it is not necessarily the crushing chest pain we see in the movies or that men more often experience. The chest pain may simply be described as “discomfort” or “burning.”
Many times women will have other symptoms that represent their heart disease that are more non-specific and more difficult to diagnose. Shortness of breath, sweating, as well as pain in the left arm or neck/jaw, or even a vague sense of fatigue may be the presenting symptoms when a woman is having a heart attack.
It is important to be vigilant when having suspicious symptoms and bring these symptoms to the attention of a physician.
According to the American Heart Association, over 39 percent of all deaths in women are attributable to cardiovascular disease (including heart attacks, strokes, and congestive heart failure).
The longer it takes a heart attack to be diagnosed, the higher the chance of a bad outcome or even death. Looking for these early signs of heart disease can help to shorten the length of time between the onset of symptoms and appropriate diagnosis and treatment, resulting in a better chance of a good recovery.
The good news is that there is more that women can do to decrease their risk of heart disease. Stopping smoking is a must. Just like men, we know that smoking dramatically increases women’s risk of having heart attacks and strokes.
Another way to decrease risk is by dealing with your individual risk factors for the metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome is a condition made up of several factors that are known to increase a person’s risk of heart disease.
According to the American Heart Association, more than 50 million people in the United States suffer from this condition. The metabolic syndrome includes several components.
When considering obesity, it is not necessarily actual weight on a scale that increases a person’s risk, but rather the location on their body where it goes. Women who have a waist measuring larger than 35 inches have an increased risk of heart disease.
The body’s inability to control sugar in the blood is also a risk factor. Not only being diagnosed with actual diabetes, but also an intolerance to sugar known as “impaired glucose tolerance” or “pre-diabetes” can increase risk.
Simple laboratory tests can determine if you are high risk for these conditions.
The other parts of the metabolic syndrome include poorly controlled cholesterol and high blood pressure. Having better control of even one of these factors can significantly decrease your risk of heart disease.
On February 2, the American Heart Association is sponsoring the annual “Go Red Campaign.” This is an effort to bring the issue of women and heart disease to center-stage.
Let’s all join together by wearing red that day and bringing the issue of women and heart disease to the public eye.
Lawrence Phillips, M.D. is a second year Cardiology fellow at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital. The statements presented here are for information only and do not replace speaking to your own physician.
