Women Need To Take Hearts In Hand

omen are being stalked by a killer, responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of wives, mothers, sisters and daughters each year. The killer is cardiovascular disease, and though only 13% of women view heart disease as a threat, it continues to be the number one killer of women in the United States. The fact that more American women than men die of cardiovascular disease each year contradicts the common stereotype that heart disease is a man’s problem. Women become vulnerable about a decade later, on average, but when they develop heart disease it’s just as real and often more deadly. Lack of awareness on the part of both women and their physicians compounds the problem.

Studies have found that:

• when women go to their doctors complaining of chest pain, they are less likely than men to be given an exercise stress test;
• women with heart symptoms or risk factors are less likely than men with a similar profile to be prescribed either statin drugs or anti-clotting drugs;
• when they report chest pain, women are less likely than men to be referred for angiography;
• women who have already been diagnosed with heart disease are less likely than men to undergo angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Findings from the recent WISE (Women’s Ischemic Syndrome Evaluation) study found that classic signs of heart disease seen in men aren’t always present in women. About 60 percent of women in this study did not show signs of blockages in their coronary arteries, even though they suffered from chest pain (angina) serious enough to cause disability. Only one third of the women evaluated had blockages in their coronary arteries that are typically seen in male patients with chest pain. Another one third showed no blockages, yet they had impaired blood flow to the heart. By contrast, the majority of men referred for coronary angiography have blockages that are visible on an angiogram. Rather than narrowing of the arteries that blocks blood flow, women with angina are more likely to have calcium deposits in smaller vessels. The majority of women in the WISE study had no major, visible blockages but had impaired blood flow to the heart, researchers theorized, because of plaque in smaller coronary arteries.

The old adage ‘ignorance is bliss’ couldn’t be more wrong when it comes to women and their hearts. For six of every ten women the first sign of heart disease is either an acute heart attack or sudden cardiac death. This is why it is so important to understand the warning signs of heart disease specific to women, what to do in case of a heart attack or stroke and what lifestyle changes can be made to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. While women can’t control their family history of heart disease, advancing age (though we try) or their postmenopausal status, women can take control of their heart health by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and paying close attention to weight control and avoiding risky behaviors such as smoking.

The heart isn’t just a symbol of love. It’s also the central pumping station that powers us with the pulse of life. As women we need to love ourselves and our hearts enough to make choices that will keep us healthy and strong into old age. Coastal Carolina Medical Center is joining the American Heart Association, Hilton Head Regional Medical Center, the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry and Beaufort Memorial Hospital in educating, equipping and empowering women to take control of their heart health. A free community forum on women’s health issues will be offered at Hilton Head High School (70 Wilborn Road – Hilton Head Island) on Saturday, May 5th between 8 am and 1 pm. A keynote presentation on Women and Heart Disease featuring Dr. Paula A. Johnson, a renowned Cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, is scheduled for 10 am. The event will also offer a number of free health screenings, educational sessions, as well as cooking and exercise demonstrations. Women interested in participating in this conference should register online at www.americanheart.org/womensheartconferencehhi or call (843) 689-8285 for a copy of the registration form.