Women's Heart Disease

Yesterday I got a red dress pin for women's heart disease.  This is close to home as I have women in my family who suffer from heart disease.  I have known many woman both survivors and those who have gone on that have/had heart disease.  Heart disease in women (as well as men) doesn't pick bad people to happen it... It could happen to anyone.. Whether young, middle aged, old... it doesn't matter...


Heart Disease Statistics
http://www.theheartfoundation.org/heart-disease-facts/heart-disease-statistics/

• Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States, claiming approximately 1 million lives annually.
• Every 33 seconds someone in the United States dies from cardiovascular disease which is roughly the equivalent of a September 11^th-like tragedy repeating itself every 24 hours, 365 days a year.
• More die of heart disease than of AIDS and all cancers combined.
• By 2020, heart disease will be the leading cause of death throughout the world.
• This year more than 920,000 Americans will have a heart attack; nearly half of them will occur without prior symptoms or warning signs.
• 250,000 Americans die annually of Sudden Cardiac Death –680 every day of the year.
• One-half of the victims of Sudden Cardiac Death are under the age of 65.
• An estimated 80 million Americans have one or more types of heart disease.
• About 8.9 million Americans have chest pain (angina) caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle which occurs when the coronary arteries become blocked with a build-up of plaque.
• Currently about 7.9 million Americans are alive who have had a heart attack.
• In 2008, the total cost of cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease, hypertensive disease, heart failure and stroke) in the U.S. was estimated at $448.5 billion.  (This includes direct costs such as costs of doctors, hospital services, medications, etc., and indirect costs such as lost productivity.)  In comparison, the estimated economic cost of cancer in 2007 was $219 billion.

Women & Heart Disease

• Women account for just over half of the total heart disease deaths in the United States each year, although many women continue to think of heart disease as a man’s disease.
• Worldwide, 8.6 million women die from heart disease each year, accounting for a third of all deaths in women.
• 42% of women who have heart attacks die within 1 year, compared to 24% of men.
• Under age 50, women’s heart attacks are twice as likely as men’s to be fatal.
• 8 million women in the US are currently living with heart disease; 35,000 are under age 65. Four million suffer from angina.
• 435,000 American women have heart attacks annually; 83,000 are under age 65; 35,000 are under 55.
• 267,000 women die each year from heart attacks - six times more than the number of women who die from breast cancer.

Women and men are not the same when it comes to heart disease.  

Symptoms of Heart Disease

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-symptoms

Coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, heart attack -- each type of heart problem requires different treatment but may share similar warning signs. It is important to see your doctor so that you can receive a correct diagnosis and prompt treatment.

Learn to recognize the symptoms that may signal heart disease. Call your doctor if you begin to have new symptoms or if they become more frequent or severe.

Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease

The most common symptom of coronary artery disease is angina, or chest pain. Angina can be described as a discomfort, heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing, or painful feeling in your chest. It can be mistaken for indigestion or heartburn. Angina may also be felt in the shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw, or back.

Other symptoms of coronary artery disease include:

• Shortness of breath.
• Palpitations (irregular heart beats, or a "flip-flop" feeling in your chest).
• A faster heartbeat.
• Weakness or dizziness.
• Nausea.
• Sweating.

Symptoms of a Heart Attack

Symptoms of a heart attack can include:

• Discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm, or below the breastbone.
• Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat, or arm.
• Fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn).
• Sweating, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness.
• Extreme weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath.
• Rapid or irregular heartbeats.

During a heart attack, symptoms typically last 30 minutes or longer and are not relieved by rest or oral medications. Initial symptoms may start as a mild discomfort that progresses to significant pain.

Some people have a heart attack without having any symptoms, which is known as a  "silent" myocardial infarction (MI). It occurs more often in people with diabetes.

If you think you are having a heart attack, DO NOT DELAY. Call for emergency help (dial 911 in most areas). Immediate treatment of a heart attack is very important to lessen the amount of damage to your heart.

Symptoms of Arrhythmias

When symptoms of arrhythmias, or an abnormal heart rhythm, are present, they may include:

• Palpitations (a feeling of skipped heart beats, fluttering or flip-flops in your chest).
• Pounding in your chest.
• Dizziness or feeling light-headed.
• Fainting.
• Shortness of breath.
• Chest discomfort.
• Weakness or fatigue (feeling very tired).

Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a type of arrhythmia. Most people with AF experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Heart palpitations (a sudden pounding, fluttering, or racing feeling in the heart).
• Lack of energy.
• Dizziness (feeling faint or light-headed).
• Chest discomfort (pain, pressure, or discomfort in the chest).
• Shortness of breath (difficulty breathing during normal activities).

Some patients with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms. Sometimes these episodes are brief.