Watch VideoWomen warned to watch for signs of heart attacks
Story By: Bea Karnes
Source: NBC
Heart disease is the number one killer of women in this country. There are several warning signs women should not ignore. During a drill held last year at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California doctors, nurses and paramedics focused on how they treat stroke patients.
While the mock patient wasn't really having a stroke, the problem is very real. Every year half a million women die from heart disease. No one knows that more than Beth Johnson. "My two grandmothers died from massive heart attacks, one at a very young age and one a little later in life but still prematurely. And then most importantly, my mother had a massive stroke in November of 2003. So all of those things considered, taking care of my heart is very important to me," said Johnson.
Cardiologist Dr. Valerie Kwai Ben says women often have less obvious symptoms of a heart attack than men. "Those symptoms can be generalized fatigue, or tiredness, not feeling well, perhaps feeling short of breath when you walk. So clearly not the typical symptoms that we usually hear of that are more common in men," she explained.
Other symptoms of heart attack in women include chest pressure, neck pain, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. To lower your risk take a thirty minute walk each day, eat more veggies and fruits and be sure to see your doctor once a year to get your cholesterol and blood pressure checked.
