Valentine’s Day is upon us, and hearts — the symbol of love — are everywhere. But there is more to think about than love. Let these symbols remind you to take care of your own heart.
Did you know that heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women? Knowing the risk factors and changing harmful behavior can help you stay heart healthy.
Stop smoking. The reasons why smoking is dangerous are too numerous to mention, but just stop now. By quitting, you will cut your risk for heart disease in half.
Control high blood pressure. Plaque buildup on the artery walls may be increased by the stress of high blood pressure.
Reduce high cholesterol. Buildup in the artery walls makes the heart work harder.
Many people are familiar with the signs of a heart attack in men, including pain down the arm and severe chest pain. However, it is important to note that a woman’s symptoms of a heart attack often are nebulous and can be misdiagnosed. In fact, these symptoms can be present for years but may accelerate even a month before the heart attack itself. Some women may have heart disease without even realizing it, and the risk increases with age, especially in postmenopausal women who no longer produce estrogen.
According to the WomenHeart website, womenheart.org, women having a heart attack may experience symptoms that include the following:
— Discomfort, tightness, uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes or comes and goes
— Crushing chest pain
— Pressure or pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck, upper back, jaw or arms
— Dizziness or nausea
— Clammy sweats, heart flutters or paleness
— Unexplained feelings of anxiety, fatigue or weakness, especially with exertion
— Stomach or abdominal pain
— Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
Because these symptoms are vague, they may be dismissed, which could be life-threatening. According to WomenHeart, some survivors have experienced providers “attributing the cause of symptoms to other health problems, such as indigestion.”
The bottom line is to not ignore signs of a heart attack, to listen to your body and seek immediate medical attention if you have symptoms. Don’t be shy about insisting that an EKG test or an enzyme blood test be performed.
Carol Higgins Taylor, an advocate for seniors who owns a public relations firm in Bangor, can be reached at 4chtaylor@gmail.com.