The Heart of a Woman

From the Winter 2011 Healthy Woman publication

Women are strong in so many ways, but they’re just as vulnerable to heart disease as men are, according to Candice Yu-Fleming, MD, a family medicine physician with Portage Medical Group. “It’s surprising for many women to learn that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women,” she added.

“It’s also surprising for women to learn that their symptoms of a heart attack may be very different than a man’s,” said Yu-Fleming. For example, a study by the National Institutes of Health shows that fewer than 30% of women reported having chest pain or discomfort prior to their heart attacks and 43% reported that they had no chest pain during any phase of the attack.

Instead, women were more likely to report nontraditional symptoms, such as unusual fatigue (70.6%), sleep disturbance (47.8%), and shortness of breath (42.1%). According to the Women’s Heart Foundation, nearly two-thirds of the deaths from heart attacks in women occur among those who have no history of chest pain.

When in doubt, Call 911

These gentle and nontraditional symptoms mean that women’s heart attacks are often less obvious, which may be one reason that women typically wait longer than men to go to an emergency room when having a heart attack, according to the Women’s Heart Foundation. “Women need to speak up and not waste time second guessing their symptoms. Call 911 immediately. Let the ER tell you if it’s a heart attack,” she said

Practice Prevention

By far the best way to treat heart disease is to prevent it in the rst place, said Yu-Fleming. “Though you can’t change your family history, there’s a lot you can do to reduce your risk for heart disease. And the Women’s Heart Foundation tells us that women’s hearts respond better than men’s to healthy lifestyle changes,” said Yu-Fleming. “For instance, don’t smoke. If you stop smoking, you can lower your risk of heart attack by one third within 2 years,” she said. She also recommends talking to your doctor about testing to reveal risk factors.

Women report different symptoms than men prior to a Heart Attack

• 70% Unusual Fatigue
  
• 48% Sleep Disturbance
  
• 42% Shortness of Breath
  
• 39% Indigestion
  
• 35% Anxiety

Women report different symptoms than men during a Heart Attack

• 58% Shortness of Breath
  
• 55% Weakness
  
• 43% Unusual Fatigue
  
• 39% Cold Sweat
  
• 39% Dizziness

Dr. Yu-Fleming is a member of the medical staff at Porter. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Yu-Flemming, call 219.364.3700.