Health

Health: Women And Heart Disease

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― 38-year-old Sharon Markey, a busy mother of three thought she was the picture of health. That all changed one day.

She slowly started feeling a number of symptoms.

"I was a little tired. I was nauseated. My chest started to bother me a little bit. I had pain down my left arm," said Sharon.

She tried explaining away the symptoms.

"Thought it was indigestion. I must have pulled a muscle during exercise. I must have a touch of the flu," said Sharon.

She continued to keep busy. She even went to sleep thinking it wasn't serious.
She was wrong, almost dead wrong.

The next day Sharon decided to contact her doctor and was advised to go to the hospital for testing. That's where she was given some grim news.

"My coronary artery had dissected itself and it split open and basically my chest, I was bleeding out internally," said Sharon.

She underwent triple bypass surgery and now, two years later, is feeling much better.

Her condition was rare but Cooper University cardiologist Dr. Kathleen Heintz says her story is all too familiar.

"Typically women don't think any heart problems happen to them," said Dr. Heintz.

She says women need to recognize that heart problems are just as serious a health risk for women as they are for men.

"We know that heart attacks are much more common than breast cancer. heart attacks and strokes are more common than the next 7 causes of death for women," said Dr. Heintz.

While women can have stabbing or crushing chest pain like men frequently get women can also experience vague symptoms like Sharon did.

"Don't ignore them. I mean I did and it almost killed me," said Sharon.

RELATED LINKS:

Heart Attack Risk Calculator:
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3003499

The Cardiovascular Center at Holy Redeemer Hospital- http://www.heartatholyredeemer.com/

Women & Heart Disease Events:

Tuesday, February 5th

Pennsylvania Hospital will be hosting a lunchtime lecture from 1:15-2:30pm.  Dr. Robert Norris will address the signs, symptoms and heart disease prevention for women.  Registration is required by calling the Women's Health Center at 215-829-3988.

Wednesday, February 20th

Holy Redeemer is offering a Women and Heart Disease event from 6:30-8:30pm at the Provincialate of the Sisters of the Holy Redeemer in Huntingdon Valley.  It's a free event and will include discussions with a cardiothoracic surgeon and dietitian, as well as free samples and a live cooking demonstration.  Registration is required by call 1-800-818-4747 or go to http://www.holyredeemer.com/event_wmn-heart08/main-mail-2.php.

Heart Disease Links:

Go Red For Women- http://www.goredforwomen.org/

The Heart Truth- http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/

Heart Disease Information- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heartdiseases.html, http://www.cdc.gov/HeartDisease/

Heart Attack Warning Signs- http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053

Preventing Heart Disease, Strokes & Heart Attack- http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3035374

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