Heart disease is the number one killer of women worldwide, but it is close to 90 per cent preventable, so every year health professionals and patients through the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance, come together to bring awareness.
Dr. Sharon Mulvagh, Professor of Medicine from Dalhousie University and the Mayo Clinic tells us February 13, is Wear Red Canada Day.
“[Heart disease] is the number one killer of women prematurely, so less than 15 years or so old, and it ranks about number two after cancer for all women. So, this is really an important issue that a lot of folks have not understood for a long time. That women can get heart disease, get heart attacks, just like men do.”
Symptoms
Dr. Mulvagh says there are common symptoms of a heart attack in women and what is important to know is, it is not age related.
They include:
- Chest discomfort like tightness or pressure
- fatigue for several days
- shortness of breath when working hard
- pain in upper back, abdomen or jaw, right or both arms
- lightheadedness
Dr. Mulvagh says if you do go into the hospital with any of these symptoms, as for a blood test and electrocardiogram (ECG).
“When they go to the emergency room with symptoms that are concerning to them, they can ask for specific tests that would be relevant to checking out their heart. Not, perhaps, just be dismissed as having anxiety or reflux symptoms from their stomach or something. Which may be the case, but it should still be checked out.”
Risks
There are several risk factors to be aware of, when it comes to heart disease, according to Dr. Mulgrave.
- smoking
- high cholesterol
- obesity
- stress, anxiety
- heredity
- diabetes
Specific to women, are gestational diabetes, which she says can trigger diabetes later in life and menopause, which can cause high cholesterol.
Dr. Mulvagh says to learn more head to the lobby of the Halifax Infirmary at 10 a.m., Thursday, or watch online.
