Here is the bad news: Heart disease kills more women than do all cancers combined, yet many women still cite breast cancer as their chief health concern. Young women, especially, do not think heart disease is a threat. But, since 1984, more women than men die each year from heart disease. Although death from heart attack has declined in both men and women over the last 30 years, the decrease has been more pronounced in males than females. Depression after a heart attack is twice as likely to occur in women than men, and depression increases the chance of a second heart attack.

Prevention

The good news? Most heart disease can be prevented. We know from large population studies what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. “The Nurses’ Health Study,” which started in 1979, has followed more than 100,000 nurse-participants. It found that women living a healthy lifestyle had an 83% decreased incidence of heart attack. This healthy lifestyle is simple and includes the following:

• No smoking
• Lean body mass
• 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous daily exercise
• A heart-healthy diet
• A small amount of alcohol

You can decrease your chances for heart disease by eating a mostly plant-based diet that includes whole grains, exercising, not smoking and enjoying life with activities and people you love.

Strive to Obtain the Best Care

In 1991, Bernadette Healy published “The Yentl Syndrome” in The New England Journal of Medicine, explaining that heart disease is often under-diagnosed and under-treated in women as compared to men. Today, the “Yentl Syndrome” still exists: Women at high risk for heart disease are less likely than men to be prescribed aspirin or statins; and women suffering a heart attack are less likely to be given a coronary angiogram, angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery even though women derive the same benefit as men when these procedures are done appropriately. Consequently, it is important to choose a doctor who understands the gender differences associated with heart disease.

Know Your Body

To protect yourself, it is also important to know your body—and the signs of heart attack:

• Chest discomfort
• Shortness of breath
• Excessive sweating
• Dizziness
• Palpitations
• Fatigue

Women may have symptoms that are a little different than a man’s: 30% of women and 20% of men who present with a heart attack do not have chest discomfort! Women, more likely than men, may have back, shoulder or neck discomfort, breathlessness, palpitations or fatigue, whereas men more often present with chest pain radiating to the left arm, associated with sweating. Some women have fatigue or shortness of breath up to one month prior to heart attack.

The main thing to remember is this: If you think you are having a heart attack, call 911. And, if you think you have heart disease or are at risk for heart disease, see a cardiologist who will listen to you and be your partner in your health.

To find an excellent doctor who is right for you, please call our Physician Referral Service at 866.804.1007.