Health Guide Directory > Healthy Heart Information
Symptoms of a Heart Attack In Both Men and Women:
- Squeezing chest pain or pressure
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Tightness in chest
- Pain spreading to shoulders, neck, arm, or jaw
- Feeling of heartburn or indigestion with or without nausea and vomiting
- Sudden dizziness or brief loss of consciousness
Symptoms More Likely in Women:
- Indigestion or gas-like pain
- Dizziness or nausea
- Unexplained weakness or fatigue
- Discomfort or pain between the shoulder blades
- Recurring chest discomfort
- Sense of impending doom
SOURCE: WebMD.com
WOMEN'S SPECIAL SYMPTOMS
A woman's heart attack has more varied symptoms than a man's. She may have the powerful chest and arm pain and pressure typical in men. But many women experience NO chest pain. Instead, they frequently experience nausea not relieved by antacids and even vomiting during a heart attack, which leads emergency room doctors to incorrectly suspect gastric disorders. Other female heart attack victims describe unusual fatigue or mild, flu-like symptoms that worsen with activity, and this can be misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome or a virus.
Because heart studies have been done primarily in men, doctors often mistake a woman's serious heart attack for a lesser problem. Consequently, treatment for heart attacks in women is often delayed, worsening the damage or resulting in death. Have your doctor run the tests that will clarify whether YOU are having a heart attack!
Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Heart Disease and Stroke
Women can take charge of their health by making positive lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. Talk to your doctor. Here are some questions to ask:
Cholesterol
- What is cholesterol and how may it affect my health?
- What is a healthy cholesterol level and how can I reach or maintain a healthy level? How often should it be checked?
- What is my HDL ("good") level, my LDL ("bad") level and my total cholesterol level? What is my trigylceride level?
- Should I be taking medicines such as statins, niacin, or fibrates in addition to working on nutrition and exercise?
High Blood Pressure
- What is high blood pressure and how may it affect my health?
- What is my optimal blood pressure and how can I maintain it?
- Should I be on blood pressure lowering medicine in addition to following a healthier lifestyle?
Obesity
- What is a Body Mass Index (BMI) and what range is healthy for me?
- At what weight would I be considered overweight or obese?
- How can I reach or maintain a healthy weight?
- What kind of physical activity should I do?
Smoking
- How does smoking affect my heart health and how can I quit smoking?
- How can I avoid possible weight gain after I quit smoking?
Diabetes
- What is diabetes and how may it affect my heart health?
- What are the risk factors for diabetes?
- Diabetes runs in my family. How can I prevent it?
Physical Activity
- How much physical activity should I engage in?
- What can I do to increase my physical activity levels?
Risk
- Would you assess my risk for heart disease based on the risk factors mentioned above?
- What are my risk factors for heart attack and stroke?
- How would I know if I am having a heart attack or stroke?
- What should I do if I think I'm having a heart attack or stroke?
Source: American Heart Association
Facts About Women’s Heart Disease and Stroke Risk Factors
High Blood Pressure
- High blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke. More men than women have high blood pressure until age 55. From age 55 and older, the percentage of women with high blood pressure continues to increase.
Smoking
- 20.7 percent of American women age 18 and older smoke, putting them at increased risk for a heart attack or stroke.
Cholesterol
- Beginning at age 45, a higher percentage of women than men have total blood cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or higher (levels between 200 and 239 mg/dL are considered borderline high.)
- The risk of heart attack in both men and women is highest when they have lower HDL cholesterol levels (below 40 mg/dL) and higher total cholesterol levels (above 240 mg/dL).
Physical Inactivity
- Physical inactivity is more prevalent among women than men, among blacks and Hispanics than whites, among older than younger adults and among the less affluent than the more affluent.
- A recent study of over 72,000 female nurses indicates that moderate-intensity physical activity such as walking is associated with a substantial reduction in the risk of total and ischemic stroke when compared with physical activity done at an average or casual pace.
Overweight and Obesity
- Each year an estimated 300,000 U.S. adults die of causes related to obesity.
Diabetes
- Two-thirds to three-fourths of people with diabetes will die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease.
- Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about two to four times higher than those for adults without diabetes. The risk for stroke is two to four times higher as well. The age-adjusted prevalence of major cardiovascular disease for women with diabetes is twice that for women without diabetes.
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