Saturday, January 24, 2009

Women: Educate Yourself about Heart Disease!

By Amber Danice

Men and women experience heart disease symptoms much differently. The heart disease symptoms women experience may go unnoticed to the average female.

Doctors have historically attributed these classic signs of heart disease to both men and women: shortness of breath, chest pains, radiating pain that moves from the shoulders to the neck and arms, and increased sweating. Other recognized symptoms are heartburn, indigestion, dizziness, and short losses of consciousness.

Women, on the other hand, may experience signs of heart disease in a much different way when contrasted to men. If a woman does have a heart attack, it may seem to come on unexpectedly because the symptoms leading up to a heart attack can be so much more subtle in women.

Symptoms of heart disease that a woman may experience can include uncommon or unexpected fatigue and weakness. Often tightness and discomfort between the shoulders is mistaken as tension or muscle soreness. In addition, gas, indigestion, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting are often symptoms women may experience prior to a heart attack, yet often mistake as anxiety.

Studies performed by The National Institutes of Health have demonstrated that females have unusual symptoms lasting a month or more before the heart attack actually happens. Most of the women, 95 percent of the 515 women, realized they were having disturbances such as unexplained fatigue, sleep disturbances, and shortness of breath. Also, fewer than a third of all the women ever had chest pains, which is what most doctors still consider the most common heart attack symptom for both men and women.

Heart disease symptoms women tend to have can be mild and virtually unnoticeable, and for that very reason can be extremely deadly. If a woman does notice unusual symptoms, she may disregard it as common stress factors.

Being proactive when speaking to your doctor could be just the thing that saves your life. It is important to make sure you get your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked regularly each year, and request more tests that screen for heart disease if the risk runs in your family. Make sure you let your doctor know of any uncommon or unusual symptoms you may be experiencing.

Your lifestyle is also important in reducing your risk for heart disease. In addition to talking to your doctor, you need to take an honest look at your lifestyle and make sure you are eating right, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and cutting out the sabotaging effects of smoking, drinking, and saturated fats. Make some healthy changes now and continue to educate yourself about heart disease. Being able to identify symptoms of heart disease that women have may just be the thing that saves you or a loved one's life. - 15343

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