Living a Healthy Life
Heart Disease is Different for Women
Women are just as likely as men to suffer from heart disease, but heart disease takes a slightly different course in women, making it more difficult to recognize. Women usually develop heart disease later in life, and their symptoms may be different from men’s. For example, while chest pain is the most common symptom of heart attack in both men and women, men having a heart attack are more likely to experience sweating. In contrast, women having a heart attack are more likely to experience nausea, shortness of breath, or back, jaw, or neck pain, hence why women have to be particularly alert to any possible symptoms of heart disease or heart attack.Most Common or "Classic" Warning Signs of Heart Attack
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back
- Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck or arms
- Chest discomfort with light headedness, fainting, sweating,nausea or shortness of breath
Less Common Warning Signs of Heart Attack
- Atypical chest pain, stomach or abdominal pain
- Nausea or dizziness
- Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
- Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue
- Palpitations, cold sweat or paleness
You Can Activate Yourself
Regular physical activity is extremely helpful for the prevention of health risks such as heart disease and obesity.- You don’t need special skills or training to be physically active. Walking is a great way to be active.
- Physical activity should be initiated slowly, and the intensity should be increased gradually (e.g., start with a 10 minute walk three times a week and work your way up to 30 minutes of brisk walking or other forms of moderate activity five times a week.
- Activities can be split into several short periods (e.g., 10 minutes 3 times a day) instead of one longer period (e.g., 30 minutes once a day).
- You should select activities that you ENJOY and can fit into your daily life.
- It may take time to incorporate more activity into your daily life. Don’t get discouraged if at first you miss a day or two; just keep trying and do your best to make it a regular part of your life. You will soon realize how good it feels tobe physically active and fit.
- Ask for support from friends and family; likewise, support the people in your life who are trying to be physically active.
- Make fitness a priority…COMMIT TO IT.
Educate yourself! For more information about heart disease and stroke, visit Vanderbilt Heart online at www.vanderbiltheart.com
