Our third installment of our Ladies’s Well being Month collection options Azadeh Toofaninejad, DO, a heart specialist with Dignity Well being Mercy Medical Group, sharing steering on how coronary heart illness impacts girls. Dr. Toofaninejad addresses signs to look out for, danger elements and way of life modifications girls could make to lower their danger of coronary heart illness.
What are coronary heart illness signs in girls?
Dr. Toofaninejad: Coronary heart illness is the main explanation for dying for ladies in america. Typically, girls can have no signs of coronary heart illness, and others might expertise various severity of signs together with:
- Chest discomfort (often known as Angina)
- Neck, throat or jaw ache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sweating
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Again or higher stomach ache
Have in mind, these signs could also be gentle, and a few girls might expertise them throughout sleep. Whereas these signs might not really feel as intense because the debilitating chest ache that always coincides with a coronary heart assault, it’s crucial for ladies to contact their main care physician or ask to be referred to a heart specialist if they’re experiencing any of the above signs.
What are widespread danger elements that contribute to coronary heart illness in girls?
Dr. Toofaninejad: To assist stop coronary heart illness, we give attention to reducing or eliminating widespread danger elements together with:
- Excessive ldl cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Weight problems
- Smoking
- Household historical past of untimely coronary heart illness
Ladies who expertise problems throughout being pregnant, are in menopause or have low estrogen ranges are additionally at the next danger for coronary heart illness. Moreover, inflammatory illnesses together with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus might enhance danger.
What way of life modifications can girls make to decrease their danger?
Dr. Toofaninejad: Easy way of life modifications like exercising frequently, not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, sustaining a healthy diet and managing stress ranges are all methods girls can enhance their coronary heart well being and assist stop coronary heart illness. Embracing a wholesome way of life can have a major influence on girls’s well being.
Figuring out the indicators of coronary heart illness may save your life, however generally there aren’t any signs. Contact your main care doctor to debate your danger for coronary heart illness, or seek the advice of our “Find a Doctor” device to discover a Dignity Well being Medical Group physician close to you.
Don’t neglect to examine our Dignity Well being Medical Teams Weblog for the most recent installments of our Ladies’s Well being Month reminders, together with perception from physicians specializing in primary care and OB-GYN care.
