Heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year — more than all cancers combined.
Fortunately, we can change that because 80 percent of cardiac and stroke event may be prevented with education and action.
February is Go Red for Women month to help educate women about the risks and the steps they can take to make their health a priority.
Dr. Donna Milavetz with Regence says heart attack symptoms in women can be different than what men experience. They can include:
• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
• As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
If you have any of these signs, call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital right away.
Dr. Milavetz told us there are things you can do to improve your health and help prevent heart disease.
• Manage your blood pressure: high blood pressure is the most significant risk factor for heart disease.
• Get active: people who exercise have better health than those who do not.
• Control your cholesterol: when there's too much cholesterol in your blood, you are at major risk for heart disease and stroke.
• Eat better: heart-healthy nutrition keeps you living at your best health potential.
• Lose weight: a BMI of less than 25 is optimal for cardiovascular health.
• Don't smoke: smoking is the No. 1 modifiable cause of death.
• Reduce blood sugar: High blood sugar increases your risk for heart disease.
Making these healthy lifestyle changes will make an impact on your heart and potentially save your life.
To learn more visit heart.org.
