Many Women Don’t Know the Signs of a Heart Attack

SPRINGFIELD — Not all heart attacks are created equal. Especially if you are a woman.

“When asked about the warning signs of a heart attack, many people often respond by citing the classic symptoms such as chest pain or pressure — that classic feeling of an elephant sitting on your chest — or pain radiating up and down one or both arms,” said Dr. Heba Wassif of the Heart & Vascular Program at Baystate Medical Center.

According to Wassif, only about 65{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} of women will call 911 when experiencing symptoms of a heart problem, so it’s important for them to be aware of the warning signs, some of which are unique to women.

“Heartburn, especially in African-American women, as well as feeling light-headed, dizzy, short of breath, and unusual and unexplained fatigue, are some unique warning signs to women. But women can also share symptoms common to men, such as chest pressure and arm, neck, and back pain,” she noted.

Statistics from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) say one in three women die from heart disease, considered the number-one killer of women. Yet, only two in three American women, and one in three minority women, consider heart disease to be their greatest health risk.

“As a result, education surrounding heart health needs to continue among women,” Wassif said. “The good news is that heart disease is preventable.”

She said her best recommendation for patients is to follow what the American Heart Assoc. calls ‘Life’s Simple 7.’

“The best thing you can do for your heart right now is to stop smoking,” she said. “It’s also important to control your blood pressure and cholesterol — the higher your numbers, then the greater your risk for heart disease and stroke — and to reduce your sugar intake. You also want to keep active, such as taking a brisk walk for 30 minutes each day. Maintaining a healthy weight and losing those extra pounds is also essential to improved cardiovascular health, as is a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low in saturated and trans fats.”

The Baystate cardiologist noted that women should also understand their risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease. While sharing traditional risk factors with men such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity, women also have other factors unique to them.

“Women who have diabetes have a much greater risk of developing heart disease than men who have diabetes. Also, women who develop high blood pressure while pregnant, a condition we call pre-eclampsia, have a higher likelihood of developing high blood pressure in the future. And we know that high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease,” she said.

It is also believed that stress and decreased levels of estrogen in a woman’s body after menopause can put her at increased risk for a heart attack.

Wassif said women should talk to their doctors about their diet, including sugar and salt intake. More and more studies point to the fact that there is a link to the amount of sugar American adults consume to their risk of dying from heart disease.

The American Heart Assoc. suggests women consume fewer than 100 calories a day from added sugars (fewer than 150 for men), which equals about six teaspoons of sugar.

“Remember,” Wassif said, “it’s never too late to start taking healthy steps to ensure your heart health.”