Heart attacks on the rise

According to a recent study published in the Journal Circulation, women are experiencing a heightened risk for heart attacks as of lately.  This is especially concerning given that heart attacks are often shown to have more debilitating effects on women versus men. Women often require longer hospital stays and fatalities following a heart attack. This is likely due to the fact that a woman’s heart is usually smaller, thinner, and pumps less blood per beat when compared to a man’s heart. Women also face additional risk factors not typically seen in men such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary disease, pregnancy related diabetes and high blood pressure.

Women have different risk factors

Approximately every 40 seconds someone in the United States will suffer a heart attack therefore, it is no surprise that the leading cause of death within the U.S are heart attacks. Additionally so, approx. 790,000 Americans will have a heart attack this year as according to the CDC. Despite our medical advances, heart attacks continue to rise in frequency even increasing among younger groups of women aged 35 and higher. Even so, many individuals are still unsure of their own potential risk factors for a heart attack. However, some studies may help us uncover these factors as recent data collected from over 28,500 hospitals  which observed heart attack patients between the ages of 35-70, provided many insights. The data revealed that women who experience heart attacks are also more likely to have a history of diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. You should also note that symptoms in women may vary from those of men. Typical symptoms for women may involve:

  • Nausea
  • Excessive sweating
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling pain or discomfort in both arms
  • Back pain
  • Neck, jaw, or stomach pain
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness

It’s important to speak to your doctor  regarding what you may be able to help reduce your risk of heart attack. If you or someone you love is interested in Long Term Care Insurance be sure to visit: LTC TREE for more information.