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Living Well
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Women, take note:
You’re at risk too
While heart attack—and cardiovascular disease in
general—is often thought of as a “man’s disease,” the fact
is that the occurrence of heart disease and death from
heart disease are more prevalent in women than men.
A primary reason for this may be that women often
experience heart attack symptoms differently than
men. If you’re a woman, you should be aware of the
general heart attack symptoms and get help immedi-
ately if they occur. But you should also be conscious
of more subtle signs of heart attack. According to the
American Heart Association, these include:
•
Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain
in the center of your chest that lasts more than a few
minutes or goes away and comes back.
•
Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back,
neck, jaw or stomach.
•
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
•
Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat,
nausea or lightheadedness.
As with men, the American Heart Association online
materials say women’s most common heart attack
symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are
somewhat more likely than men to experience some of
the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of
breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
The right place for care
When a heart attack strikes, it’s critical to get care
from a hospital that is equipped to handle such a
life-threatening situation. Thanks to the state-of-
the-art Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Simi Valley
Hospital, heart attack patients can go right from
the Emergency Department to the Cath Lab when
their condition warrants such action.
There, an interventional cardiologist can per-
form a variety of procedures, including angioplasty
to open up the clogged artery that is causing the
heart attack. When necessary, he or she can also
implant a stent—a device that helps to keep the
artery open.
Simi Valley Hospital’s Cardiac Cath Lab has an-
other key feature that saves precious minutes: As a
hybrid lab, the room can easily be converted to an
open-heart surgery suite for those occasions when
Simi Valley Hospital has the county’s first-ever hybrid
Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, which can be
immediately converted to a fully functioning open-
heart surgery suite when needed.
A good defense …
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medical intervention immediately.
Dr. Nguyen made a few observations about heart
attack symptoms that may help you better understand
what your body is telling you:
“The classic description of ‘chest pain’ is a bit
of a misnomer. A heart attack typically won’t feel like a
punch in the chest or the type of pain you’d feel with
a toothache. Most people describe it as a feeling of
pressure, like there is a tight band around their chest or
someone is sitting on their chest.
“The pressure in the chest is often accompanied by
pain that begins in the jaw and travels down the arm.
The movement of the pain seems to be an important
distinction for heart attack.
“Some people mistake a heart attack for indiges-
tion or other gastrointestinal problem. The important
point to remember is that stomach symptoms
typically don’t cause a person to sweat. So if you’re
sweating and feeling pain in your jaw and/or arm, it’s
probably time to call 911 instead of taking another
dose of antacid.”
a catheterization procedure is not the best choice
for the patient.
The best heart attack is the one that never
happens. Follow this “Simple 7” approach
from the American Heart Association to help
you avoid heart disease:
Manage your blood pressure.
Keep your cholesterol at an acceptable
level, and take action to lower it, if needed.
Reduce your blood sugar levels, if they
are above recommended levels.
Stay physically active.
Choose a heart-healthy diet.
Maintain an ideal body weight for your
height and build.
Don’t smoke, or stop smoking if you do.
A great way to get started is to seek out a physician
who will work with you and be your health advocate.
Then be proactive and stay informed about heart
health. By taking these steps, you will likely save your-
self—and even your loved ones—in the process.
MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN A HEART ATTACK STRIKES