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Heart
Attack Facts for Women
WOMEN: WARNING! It Could
Be a Heart Attack!
Heart disease and stroke will kill almost 50% of all women in
the United States.
It's not just a man's disease
As
with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain
or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to have
some of the other warning signs, particularly shortness of breath,
nausea, vomiting and back pain or jaw pain. Listen to your body.
Don't ignore your symptoms. Get help fast
WHAT WOMEN SHOULD KNOW:
THE
WARNING SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK
Every minute counts, even if the symptoms seem to dissappear!
Know that not everyone gets all of these warning signs.
And, sometimes these signs can go away and return.
Treatments are most effective if given within one hour of
when the attack begins.
If you have these symptoms, call 911 right away!
Signs
of a Heart Attack:
- Chest
discomfort or uncomfortable pressure, fullness
- Squeezing
or pain in the center of the chest that lasts longer
than a few minutes, or comes and goes
- Spreading
pain to one or both arms, back, jaw, or stomach
- Cold
sweats and nausea.
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ARE YOU HAVING A HEART ATTACK? DON'T
WAIT.
Women typically wait
longer than men to call for help.
IF YOU NOTICE ONE OR MORE OF THESE
WARNING SIGNS IN ANYONE, DON'T WAIT MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES
- NO MORE THAN 5. CALL 9-1-1 RIGHT AWAY!
Don't delay. Minutes
matter.
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Heart Facts
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Heart
disease is the #1 killer of American women.
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One
in five women have some form of cardiovascular disease.
-
In
1999, cardiovascular disease (CVD) caused the deaths of 512,904
females, 53.5% of all deaths from CVD.
-
One
out of three women compared with one out of four men will die
within one year after having a heart attack.
-
A
woman's chances of developing heart disease soar after she goes
through menopause.
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More
women than men will suffer a second heart attack within six
years after their first heart attack.
-
African
American women are 60 percent more likely to die of coronary
heart disease than white women.
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Women
with diabetes are 3 to 4 times more likely than men to develop
heart disease.
-
Fewer
than one in ten women today think that heart disease is their
greatest health threat.
-
Diabetes
doubles the risk of a second heart attack in women.
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You Should Know
You Could Be at Risk
for Heart Disease if You:
- Smoke
or use tobacco products
- Have
diabetes
- Have
high blood pressure
- Have
high cholesterol, including a high LDL (bad cholesterol),
low HDL (good cholesterol) or high triglyceride levels
-
Have a sedentary lifestyle, or get little physical activity
- Are
overweight
- Have
a family history of heart disease
-
Had early menopause (before age 40)
-
Already had a heart attack
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Have high levels of stress or feeling little control over
your environment
You Can
Reduce Your Risk for Heart Disease if You:
- Stop
smoking
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Eat a heart-healthy diet
- Maintain
a healthy weight
-
Keep blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol under control
- Exercise
at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week
- Talk
to your health care provider about screening tests for heart
disease
- Learn
how to reduce and manage stress
Engage in activities that can improve heart health (gardening,
walking, housecleaning, stair climbing, etc.)
Knowledge, Coupled with Action, is
Power. Take Charge of Your Health!
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Ask
your health care provider some of the following questions about
the risks you face as a woman and the preventive measures you should
take.
-
What
are my risk factors for heart disease?
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What
diseases in my family history should I be concerned about?
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Do
I need to lose or gain weight for my health?
-
What
should I know about the effects of menopause on my health?
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What
is a healthy eating plan for me?
-
What
kind of physical activity is right for me?
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What
is my blood pressure? Is it at a healthy level?
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What
are my cholesterol levels? Are they healthy levels?
EXPLANATION OF TERMS
Cardiovascular
diseases are diseases of the heart and blood vessel system, including
heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, angina (chest pain) and
coronary heart disease (blood vessel disease in the heart). Heart
attacks, also called myocardial infarctions, result from coronary
heart disease. A heart attack happens when an artery becomes blocked,
preventing oxygen and nutrients from getting to the heart. The blockage
is usually caused by the buildup of plaque (deposits of fat-like
substances) along the walls of these arteries.
This
information was developed by the U.S. DHHS Office on Women's Health
and the American Society of Echocardiography and written in collaboration
with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) campaign,
"Act in Time to Heart Attack Signs". For more information
about the campaign and the National Heart Attack Alert Program,
please contact NHLBI at 301-592-8573 or visit the web site www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime.
For other inquiries, please visit the National Women's Health Information
Center at www.4woman.gov or call 1-800-994-WOMAN (TDD: 1-888-220-5446).
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