The Forgotten Risk: Women and Heart Disease – 4pg

MyHealth Newsletter February 2009

Volume 2 Issue 1

Page 1

Article #1 - The Forgotten Risk: Women and Heart Disease

Heart disease is the #1 health threat to American women, responsible for 39 percent of all female deaths in the United States. Indeed, one in five American women has heart disease, and one out of every two women will die of a heart attack or stroke. Yet in a survey conducted by the American Heart Association, only 13 percent of American women realized that heart disease and stroke are the #1 threat to their health.

It’s important to know that women experience a heart attack or stroke differently than men. For women, the symptoms are often more subtle and therefore harder to detect. For example, instead of the crushing chest pain associated with heart attacks in men, women may experience discomfort in the neck, shoulder and upper back, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, sweating and dizziness. Because these symptoms are less

obvious, women may suffer more significant heart damage before they seek medical help.

February 15 is Women’s Heart Day, the perfect time for women to become more vigilant in recognizing and treating heart disease. Talk to your physician about your risk factors and determine what diagnostic tests might be helpful.

 

187 words