The number of women dying from heart disease is increasing in Canada. Yet, few women are able to detect the warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack.
Thus, the American doctor and chief medical correspondent of CBS News, Jon LaPook, took advantage of the “National Wear Red Day” in the United States to highlight the information that women need to know on this subject.
“It is a false and dangerous idea that heart disease is in some way an exclusively male disease,” he said, recalling that it is “the No. 1 cause of death among women.” “, in the USA.
This reality also hits home in Canada, with heart disease being the No. 2 cause of death among women, according to Statistics Canada.
Signs and symptoms
The most common signs of a heart attack in women include chest pain and shortness of breath, according to Dr.r LaPook.
In some cases, there may be more atypical symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and pain in the jaw, back, or elsewhere.
Risk factors
There are several medical conditions that can lead to heart disease, including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and inactivity.
The Dr LaPook also recalled that cigarettes can have a great influence on heart health.
Pregnancy does not go well with heart disease. So, as this is a stressful event in a woman’s life, it is important to ensure that you are in good health before becoming pregnant.
How to detect heart disease?
The best way to keep an eye on your heart health is to monitor the numbers, such as weight, blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
“It’s not something where you want to wait until you have symptoms and then say, ‘OK, now I’m really going to get into it.’ This should last a lifetime. So, from birth, you want to have healthy habits,” said the medical correspondent.