Cardiologists want women to pay more attention to their cardiovascular health.
Heart disease kills one in four U.S. women. That’s why heart disease and stroke education are among the major initiatives of National Women’s Health Week, which kicks off each year on Mother’s Day (this year, May 12). Mary Abed, MD, Chief of Cardiology at Jersey City Medical Center and a member of the Barnabas Health Medical Group, explains the risks—and how women can reduce them.
Do women tend to know that heart disease is a leading killer for their gender?
If you had asked me 10 or 15 years ago, I’d have said, “Absolutely not.” Most women then thought their top killer was breast cancer. We’ve made tremendous progress in correcting this fallacy, thanks to educational efforts and community outreach from health care providers in making women aware of their risk factors. Those efforts need to continue.
Is heart disease different in women than in men?
The disease itself isn’t different. Risks like smoking, hypertension and obesity apply to women and men alike. However, spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a cardiovascular disease that affects more women than men. Heart disease usually occurs in men at a younger age, but women often are sicker by the time they seek help. One reason is that women generally are caregivers and delay their own care. Couples often come in and the woman is hypertensive and diabetic—but it’s the man who’s seeing the cardiologist. I’ll ask the woman, “ Who takes care of your heart?” and she’ll say, “I’m fine.”
Do heart attack symptoms differ?
They can be subtler in women, but not always. Women feel chest pain and shortness of breath, like men. However, symptoms like dizziness, back pain, nausea and vomiting can also be presentations of a heart attack. Again, women with multiple risks should seek attention if these atypical symptoms develop.
How can women gauge their risk for a heart attack?
We customize care to individual risk profiles. Those risk factors include diabetes, smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, depression, obesity and sedentary lifestyle. Genetic predisposition includes your father having a heart attack before age 50 and mother before 60 years of age. I would encourage women to seek a medical opinion regarding their cardiovascular risk profile and how they can modify it—and do it early, to help reduce their heart attack risk. Also, different ethnicities and races have higher incidences of cardiovascular diseases, especially African-Americans and Southeast Asians. Tests like EKG, echocardiogram, stress testing and coronary calcium scores are some of the tools doctors will use to assess the condition of your heart.
What are the most important steps women can take to protect their hearts?
The most important steps in protecting your heart are a healthy lifestyle and reduction of your risk factors. Never smoke! Exercise, eat healthy (Mediterranean diet), control your weight and blood pressure, and decrease stress to stay heart-healthy. And if you are given medications— take them!
Learn more about Jersey City Medical Center, Hudson County's only full-service heart hospital.