Heart Attacks & Older Women

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Every year an estimated 500,000 people die from heart attacks.

Most people think men are more likely to die from heart disease than women. However statistics show that heart disease is the number one cause of death in women and that women suffer almost half of all fatal heart attacks. More women between the ages of 40 and 60 die of heart disease than breast cancer.

WHAT CAUSES HEART ATTACKS?

Heart attacks happen when the arteries that supply the heart with blood become blocked with fatty deposits called plaque. Over time these plaques rupture and cause blood clots to form. The clots block the artery and prevent it from supplying the heart muscle with oxygen. Without prompt treatment to remove or dissolve the clots, parts of the heart muscle begin die and are replaced by scar tissue. When a damaged heart can no longer pump blood effectively, irregular heartbeats develop that can lead to heart failure and death.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HEART ATTACKS?

Common signs of heart attacks in men and women include:

• Pressure, fullness, discomfort in the center of the chest
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Pain radiating to the shoulders, back, neck, arms or jaw
• Pounding heartbeats or extra heartbeats
• Sweating, nausea, vomiting, indigestion
• Dizziness, weakness, lightheadedness
• Sudden extreme fatigue or panic
• Abdominal pain.

Be aware women may have only a few of these symptoms and may not experience chest pain at all.

WHEN IN DOUBT CALL 9-1-1

If your mother experiences any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately and tell the operator that your mother is having a heart attack. Prompt treatment is essential to prevent damage to the heart. Don't let your mother try to talk you out of calling EMS. Do not drive her to the hospital yourself. Be sure to bring her health insurance and Medicare cards, the name and phone number of her doctor, and a list of her medications with you to the emergency room. If your mother's symptoms stop completely in five minutes or less after you make the call, cancel the EMS and contact her doctor.

AT THE HOSPITAL

Once your parent arrives at the hospital emergency room she'll be asked about her symptoms and undergo a variety of tests so a diagnosis can be made quickly. Prompt treatment will limit damage to her heart.

Tests include:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure heart rate and rhythm and determine any damage that may have occurred to the heart.
• Blood tests to measure enzymes that indicate heart muscle damage.
• Echocardiograph to identify what parts of the heart are not pumping normally.
• Cardiac catherization to identify blocked arteries.

She'll also be given medications to prevent blood clots, relieve pain, lower blood pressure and improve heart function. The doctor may recommend additional diagnostic tests and refer to her a heart specialist.

8 TIPS FOR HEART HEALTH

Lifestyle changes are key to improving your mother's heart health and preventing future heart attacks.

Encourage her to:

• Stop smoking.
• Take a walk at least three days a week.
• Manage blood sugar if she has diabetes.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Limit alcoholic drinks
• Eat a diet high in vegetables, fruits, fish, and whole grains
• Reduce salt
• Reduce high blood pressure
• Lose weight if she's overweight

HOW FAMILIES CAN HELP

Having a heart attack serves as a serious wakeup call for men and women. When your mother has improved enough to start on the road to recovery, you and other family members can help her make the changes in her lifestyle that will reduce her risk of having another heart attack. Share healthy meals, take walks together, help her remember to take her medicines, encourage her lose weight, and keep medical appointments. Remind her often that she is an important member of your family.