Page 13 - Dignity Health | Be well | Spring 2013

“Shortness of breath, nausea,
sweating and other signs can also
indicate heart disease in women,”
says Dr. Gill. “It’s important to
know your body and get checked
if something just doesn’t seem
right.”
Don’t ignore any of these signs of
a possible heart attack. Call 911
right away if you have any of these
symptoms. Even if they disappear
after a fewminutes, get medical
help immediately.
Page 11 includes more information about
cardiology hospitalists at Mercy Medical Center
Redding. To learn more about heart disease,
visit the American Heart Association website at
www.heart.org.
are smoking, having high blood
pressure, having abnormal choles-
terol levels, being overweight, or
having diabetes.
“Kidney disease is another impor-
tant risk factor of heart disease,”
says Nikita Gill, MD, Cardiology
Hospitalist at Mercy Medical
Center Redding.
If early heart disease runs in the
family or you’re older than 55, your
risk increases too. The age-related
rise in risk is later for women than
it is for men. That’s partly because
estrogen gives premenopausal
women some heart disease
protection.
Recognize warnings
from the heart
Indications of heart disease and
heart attacks can be different
for men and women. A common
symptom of heart disease in every-
one is chest discomfort (angina). In
women, however, angina is often
a sharp, burning pain that may
be felt in other areas, such as the
back, neck or jaw.
Pain in any of these areas can also
signal a heart attack—a medical
emergency.
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Think heart disease is just a
man’s problem? Look at some
facts:
› Each year, 1 in 4 deaths among
U.S. women is from heart
disease—the leading killer.
››Heart disease, stroke and other
cardiovascular diseases kill more
American women each year than
the next three leading causes of
death combined.
› Women are less likely than men
to survive a heart attack.
Of all the threats to a woman’s heart,
the most common is coronary
heart disease (CHD), which can
lead to heart attacks. CHD results
when plaque buildup narrows the
heart’s arteries. Plaque is composed
of fat, cholesterol, calcium and
other material found in the blood.
Even worse, an artery can become
blocked by clots, triggering a
heart attack.
Women, like men, can have other
forms of heart disease, too, such
as arrhythmias (abnormal heart
rhythm or rate) or heart failure (a
weakened heart that can’t pump
enough blood).
Several factors can increase your
risk of heart disease. Among them
Heart facts for women
CARDIAC
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