Heart Attacks Can Happen to Anyone. That Means Women, Too

Everyone needs to take care of their heart.

“Awareness of heart disease in women has been low. It has always been thought that heart attacks and heart disease primarily affects men, however, that is not the case,” said Joyce Oen-Hsiao, MD an associate professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale School of Medicine and director of the Yale Heart and Vascular Women’s Cardiovascular Program.

“Cardiovascular disease (including heart disease and stroke) is the leading cause of death in American women, with one in three deaths being due to cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Oen-Hsiao said. “For these women, most of the deaths are preventable if the risk factors are identified and treated.”

Signs of heart attack

Signs of heart attack include the most common symptoms, such as chest pain or pain radiating down an arm, often the left arm. However, heart attack symptoms can also feel like gas or heartburn. Symptoms in women are often even more vague, including:

• Immense Fatigue
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, abdomen and back
• Feeling out of breath

“Any woman who has any of these symptoms suddenly should call 911 to get checked out as soon as possible. The faster you get treatment for a heart attack, the less damage there will be to the heart,” Dr. Oen-Hsiao said.

Tips for better heart health

• Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Avoiding processed foods
• Avoiding foods that are high in saturated fats
• Checking your blood pressure and cholesterol regularly
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Quitting smoking
• Drinking alcohol only in moderation
• Getting regular exercise, even just walking
• Taking medications as directed
• Working with your care team to assess your risks

Yale New Haven Health specialists in cardiovascular medicine also always strive for an integrated and comprehensive approach to each patient’s care, which means collaborating with experts in behavioral health, diabetes, exercise physiology, gynecology, nutrition, obstetrics, sleep medicine and smoking cessation. This multidisciplinary approach ensures comprehensive and personalized care for every patient.

“Our program strives to encourage women to understand their risk factors and be proactive to discuss their cardiovascular health with their doctors,” Dr. Oen-Hsiao said. “Together, we can work with each woman to ensure their heart is as healthy as possible.”

Dr. Oen-Hsiao recapped her positions on heart health for women by noting that women can face different cardiovascular challenges throughout their lives, starting from teenage years, through pregnancy and extending through menopause. “Being able to help patients understand, take control and improve their health to prevent disease is what we aim to do,” she said.