For Women, Heart Health is Important Too

When we think of red, we think love, passion and life.

The American Heart Association has taken that thought and made red the symbol for heart disease awareness for women in a campaign known as “Go Red for Women”. The campaign kicks off, appropriately enough, this month, which also celebrates Valentine’s Day.

Heart disease is the number one killer among women, claiming the lives of half a million women each year. Only 13 percent of women are aware that heart disease and stroke are the greatest dangers to a woman. Twice as many women die every year from heart disease and stroke as do from breast cancer. It affects women of all backgrounds and economic levels.

The good news is that stroke and heart diseases are preventable. You can start reducing your risk today by learning about the risk factors that contribute to heart disease and stroke such as hypertension, elevated cholesterol, obesity and smoking. While there are risk factors that can’t be changed, such as age and heredity, just a few lifestyle changes can put you on the path to a healthy heart.

Start with a low fat, low cholesterol diet. Trade that bowl of ice cream for sherbet. Take a 30-minute walk every day at lunch. Most importantly if you smoke, quit. There are many smoking cessation classes and support groups available to help you kick the habit.

Women should also be aware of the warning signs of a heart attack or stroke. You may be having a heart attack if you experience one of these warning signs:

• Discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back.
• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in one of both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

The warning signs of a stroke are:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

Remember to keep a list of emergency rescue service numbers next to the telephone and in your pocket, wallet or purse and know what hospital or medical facility is nearest to your home or office.

I encourage you to be part of this heart disease awareness movement by making changes in your life to reduce your risks of heart disease and stroke.

Joanne Lauten R.N. has been a nurse in the community for 25 years and is the Stroke Coordinator at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital.

Mather Hospital is proud to be part of the Go Red for Women campaign and participate with the American Heart Association’s “Get with the Guidelines” for stroke. Mather Hospital is a Certified Stroke Center and is a recipient of the American Heart Association’s Silver Plus Award for stroke management.

is an accredited 248-bed, non-profit community hospital dedicated to providing a wide spectrum of high quality health care services to Suffolk County residents, showing compassion and respect and treating each patient in the manner we would wish for our loved ones.