5 minute read
HEART DISEASE
the no. 1 killer of women
By Linda Gilchriest
Judy Blackburn was stunned and frustrated. She had always considered herself to be healthy. Yes, she had diabetes, but she kept it under control, and she watched her calories. She and her daughter even climbed a mountain together in Arizona.
Imagine her surprise when a simple heart screening test came back with a red flag that translated into a 95 percent blockage in one of the arteries in her heart.
“I was shocked,” says Blackburn, a billing rep at a local ambulance service for more than 15 years. “I monitor my diabetes, and I’m a lifetime member of Weight Watchers,” the Tomball resident says. “To earn lifetime status, you must control your weight to within just pounds of your goal.”
Dr. Valentina Ugolini, a cardiologist with the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, says that while Blackburn might appear to be the picture of health to most of us, she is fairly representative of the female heart patient who does not show the traditional symptoms of coronary disease.
Heart disease in women often does not present with the same symptoms as in men. In many cases, there are no shooting pains down the left arm or grabbing pain on the left side of the chest. Ugolini says the symptoms can be as subtle as fatigue or have the characteristics of indigestion.
Also, women are not aware that they are at the same risk as men of having a heart attack. “Heart disease is the No. 1 killer for women, but most women are surprised by this,” says Ugolini, who is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology, and
heart DISEASE:
practices at Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. “When you ask women what illness they fear most, the vast majority of them say cancer. And many of them will say breast cancer.
“They don’t realize that all cancers combined account for half or less of the deaths caused by cardiovascular disease in women,” she says.
Know the risk factors
Dr. Sangeeta Saikia, a board certified cardiologist, says everyone should be aware of their risk factors. Saikia, who practices at
Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, says nearly every woman has one risk factor or another after a certain age.
“Some risks you have no control over; you can’t change your family history,” Saikia says. “But there are other aspects you can modify with lifestyle or medications, and those are important. The high blood pressure, diabetes, weight, diet, level of exercise — all these you can change.”
After seeing a morning talk show segment on TV about women and heart disease, Blackburn, 58, scheduled a calcium scoring CT scan. “They said the test would only take 10 minutes, and I wouldn’t even have to remove my clothes,” she said, “so I called.”
The screening identified a blockage, so Blackburn made an appointment with Ugolini, who was her husband’s cardiologist at the time. She says her family history, coupled with diabetes and high blood pressure, were her risk factors.
“My mother was 68 when she had open heart surgery,” Blackburn says. “She had her first heart attack after knee surgery. The only symptom we noticed was dehydration. Women’s symptoms for heart disease are so different.”
Ugolini says when women develop heart disease, they are more likely to have comorbidities such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure or cholesterol issues. “When they finally seek medical attention, dealing with the coexisting problems is more challenging,” she says.
WOMEN & HEART DISEASE BY THE NUMBERS
83 46 432,000 77
Percentage of coronary events that may be prevented if women adhere to five lifestyle choices involving diet, exercise and nonsmoking
Percentage of women who were unaware that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women
Number of American women who die of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases each year
Percentage of women age 40 and older who are likely to survive a year after their first heart attack
Dr. Sangeeta Saikia Methodist Sugar Land Hospital
Both doctors agree smoking is one factor every woman should avoid. “Smoking is the biggest risk factor we see,” Saikia says. “If you stop smoking, you will neutralize your risk of developing heart disease after about three years. Stopping can give you an unbelievable advantage.”
Saikia points to research that shows that while the number of men dying of heart disease has slowly decreased since 1984, the number of women dying of the disease is increasing. Being a woman in today’s fast-paced world creates its own heart disease risk factors say the doctors.
“Many people have sedentary jobs and don’t make time to exercise daily,” Ugolini says. “Meal preparation becomes another hindrance, so we let the food industry take care of that for us. Many of the foods we buy are full of salt, sugar and fat.”
“When a woman works in a stressful job, that is only one part of her life,” Saikia says. “She goes back home where she is a mother and ‘homekeeper,’ equally stressful jobs, and the stress is doubled. This is another reason we are seeing more women being diagnosed with heart disease.”
Sometimes, even when you do everything right, you may still get the disease, Saikia says. “Once you identify your risk factors, you have to take the appropriate measures to fight them,” she says.
Breaking the cycle
Both cardiologists say women need to take preventive measures to correct bad lifestyle habits, but they also need to pay attention to their bodies and get the appropriate testing to guard against the threat of heart disease.
After discussing her test results and an appropriate plan of action with Ugolini, Blackburn underwent balloon dilatation and stent placement in her blocked artery on a Friday and returned to work the following Monday. She continues to watch what she eats and exercises daily.
“Patients who are more aware, read and take interest in their health are the ones who are diagnosed more appropriately and in a timely manner,” Saikia says. “Usually, the patient is the best person to raise the red flag. Be aware of your risk factors and pay attention to little things that don’t feel right. Take the step to be screened.” Dr. Valentina Ugolini Methodist Willowbrook Hospital
“If women don’t feel comfortable after the initial medical visit, they should ask for testing,” Ugolini says. “If they don’t feel they are being heard by their primary doctor, they should consult a specialist, a cardiologist. It is much more likely that a cardiologist will perform the necessary testing.”
Blackburn advises women to exercise, eat healthy and get regular checkups. “Chat with your doctor about preventive measures and put them into action. I’m grateful I took the steps to do it,” she says. n
To learn more about Methodist’s heart services, visit debakeyheartcenter.com or call 713-DEBAKEY.
