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Women and Heart Attacks: Understand What
Your Body Is Telling You
Do you know the symptoms of a heart attack?
Not all heart attacks begin with sudden, crushing chest
pain, like you see on TV and in the movies. Sometimes
symptoms can be less obvious or mistaken for heart burn or
back pain. This is especially true for women according to
Dr. Carolyn Gbur, a ProMedica cardiologist. She says that
women are more likely than men to have “silent” or milder
symptoms that are more likely to be ignored.
“Heart attacks often feel different to a
woman than to a man. For example, women are more likely to
have nausea, pain high up in the abdomen or burning in their
chest during a heart attack,” says Dr. Gbur.
Women are also more likely to experience
shortness of breath and vomiting. These are all symptoms
that should be taken seriously and are warning signs to call
9-1-1 and get to a hospital right away.
“It’s important for women to understand their
bodies and pay attention when something doesn’t seem right
or feels unusual,” says Dr. Gbur.
The stage for heart disease is set before
menopause by factors such as diabetes, high-blood pressure,
high cholesterol, extra weight (especially around the waist)
and smoking – all factors that play a part in plaque buildup
in the arteries which can lead to a heart attack. Another
risk factor before menopause is a blood pressure reading of
120 to 140.
“Any time a woman visits her doctor,
including for OB/GYN, she should always have her blood
pressure checked. If it’s high, it should be treated
aggressively, with either medication, or diet and exercise,”
says Dr. Gbur. “Your doctor will recommend the best
treatment option depending on your overall health.”
Dr. Gbur also says women need to watch their
cholesterol levels. A good LDL (“bad”) cholesterol is below
120. Your HDL (“good”) cholesterol should be above 50 (60 is
preferable).
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