Heart attacks differ between men, women

The hospital helped sponsor the Go Red for Women luncheon and has a team for the March 5 Orange County Heart Walk at Anaheim Stadium. Pictured, third grader, Jason Francillon watches as Barbara Maher, Franklin’s School’s Nurse checks Mary Ann Bouchard’s blood pressure.

It has been thought that estrogen might protect most premenopausal women against heart disease to some degree.

They joined the nationwide movement and honored women by each donating $2.

The main risk factors for developing cardiovascular problems are diabetes, smoking, elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and a history of heart illnesses in the family.

You may have noticed people wearing a lot of red last Friday, and will probably see more throughout the month of February.

Although chest pain or discomfort is the typical symptom of heart attack for men and women, women are more likely to have other non-typical symptoms that include nausea/vomiting; pain in the upper back, neck or jaw; shortness of breath; unusual fatigue; and anxiousness.

The first heart attack occurs at an average age of 71.8 years in women compared to 65 years in men. The most vulnerable women, though, are African-American and Hispanic. Sometimes the person that is having the heart attack feels that the pain spreads from the chest to the right arm starting from the shoulder and ending up in the fingers.

Heart attacks appear to be much more severe and carry a higher risk for death and complications in women as compared to men. These blockages in coronary arteries result in heart attacks. Even though cardiovascular disease is quite prevalent in women, only 1 in 5 women are aware that heart disease is their greatest health risk. For most, the warning signs began within 24 hours of their collapse, although some said they had symptoms a week or even a month before. Women are not screened for and diagnosed with heart disease as aggressively as men. “Just because your grandfather, or your mother has heart disease, your risk is higher than other people’s”.

Go Red Day is also a time to remind women, often the family caretaker, to make her own heart health a priority and to schedule a Well-Woman Visit with a primary care provider.