Men and women are at risk for heart attack

Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women across the world. Is heart disease a condition that women need to pay more attention to?

"I see many men to have their cholesterol and blood pressure checked and to assess their risk of heart disease, but I see less than half the number of women for this reason," says Johannesburg-based cardiologist Dr Tony Dalby. "Women are not aware of their risk of heart attack. More women die of cardiovascular disease than die of cancer."

Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease (CVD), is the main cause of death globally. In America, 1 in 3 women will die of heart disease or stroke.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack happens when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked. This can happen for various reasons such as fatty deposits building up in the artery or an injury. "Heart muscle dies without blood supply," explains Dr Dalby. The heart muscle damage increases the longer an artery stays blocked. Once the muscle dies, the result is permanent scarring.

"With a scar in your heart, the heart doesn’t function properly and you may die at some future date from heart failure or from a sudden cardiac arrest."

Would you know if you had heartburn, or if you were having a heart attack?

The short answer is “no”. "A heart attack may not be the worst pain ever," explains Dr Dalby. "Some patients do develop severe pain but more commonly the pain may seem bearable so that the heart attack can be misinterpreted as something else."

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, symptoms include:

  • An overwhelming sense of anxiety
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling light headed and dizzy
  • Abdominal pain, feeling sick, or vomiting
  • The pain can spread to your shoulders, arms, neck or jaw
  • Sweating
  • Chest pain that could feel like pressure, tightness, discomfort or squeezing

If you think you are having a heart attack, call TFG Medical Aid Scheme on 0860 999 911. The highly trained team will be able to give you advice or send an ambulance, if you need one.

Are you at risk?

Your risk increases for every question you answer yes to.

  • Do you smoke?
  • Do you have diabetes?
  • Do you have high cholesterol?
  • Do you have high blood pressure (hypertension)?
  • Is your diet unhealthy?
  • Are you overweight or obese?
  • Are you inactive and don’t exercise often?
  • Do you drink too much alcohol? (two drinks for women and three for men)
  • Have you had a previous heart attack, stroke or arterial disease?

Speak to your GP if you are worried about your risk of heart disease.

Can you prevent heart disease?

Exercising enough, eating a healthy diet and not smoking can prevent most (80% of) deaths related to heart disease in people younger than 65. Having a healthy heart can prevent most heart attacks, but not all of them. Even so, living a healthy lifestyle means you have a better chance of surviving and recovering from a heart attack.

Find out more about heart health on the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa’s website: www.heartfoundation.co.za

No matter how old you are, or how healthy your lifestyle is, listen to your heart for a longer, healthier life!