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Heart disease in women

Denial - a common obstacle to preventing and treating heart attacks

By Cindy Adams, Ph.D., Nurse Practitioner, The Indiana Heart Hospital

Many of us don’t think heart disease will affect us, but the numbers don’t lie. Nearly a half-million women die each year from heart and vascular disease-equivalent to the number of people killed in the World Trade Center bombings every 2 ½ days, every year.

Even more concerning is that while the death rate from coronary disease has dropped by about 50 percent in the general population between 1980 and 2002, it increased during that period for women between the ages of 35 to 54 – at a rate of 1.5 percent each year.

However, you don't have to become a statistic. Classic symptoms of a heart attack can include chest, shoulder, back or jaw/neck pain or pressure (possibly radiating into the arms), sweating or shortness of breath. It also is possible that none of those symptoms will occur - especially in a woman.

Unfortunately, symptoms of cardiovascular disease in women are often very subtle and may not resemble the classic sudden, gripping chest pain that drops you to your knees…like in the movies.

It is possible that a contributing factor to poor outcomes in women with heart disease is denial of these early, vague symptoms. It may feel like simple fatigue and activity intolerance. In a culture in which women constantly try to achieve a balance between a busy work-life, home-making, child-nurturing, and spouse-supporting, these subtle symptoms are easily passed off as "battle fatigue," and swept under the "carpet" of denial.

If you suspect that you could be having symptoms of a heart attack, there’s no time to second-guess yourself. Call 911 immediately.

Once a woman has a heart attack, she is more likely to become disabled by it, to suffer another heart attack, and to die within the first year following the heart attack than a man. She is less likely to have bypass surgery, coronary angioplasty or participate in research trials than a man.

According to a recent study published in Circulation, the American Heart Association's journal, there is strong evidence that participation in cardiac rehabilitation reduces disability and prolongs life after heart attack or bypass surgery. However, only 1 in 5 patients—and only 1 in 7 women—receive it!

Find out if you have access to a rehab program in your area. The Indiana Heart Hospital's cardiac rehabilitation program, which is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, is available to all eligible patients regardless of where initial heart attack or bypass surgery was received.

If you or a loved one has recently survived a heart attack, or undergone a bypass surgery or stenting procedure, talk to your doctor about a referral to a cardiac rehabilitation program.

It's important to be your own advocate. Ensure that your health care providers are hearing your concerns, considering all your symptoms and, when appropriate, offering follow-up treatment. Don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion if you are not comfortable with your treatment plan.

Know and understand your risk factors and be aggressive about controlling them. Visit our online risk factor assessment Know Your Numbers at HeartHospital.com to get started today.

Ensure that you receive the care and attention you deserve. It may well save your life.