HTW #144

Movies and TV shows mislead people to believe that heart attacks are associated with men, and that the only symptom of heart attacks is clutching the chest.
However, more women than men die of heart attacks each year. Also, African American and Hispanic women have a greater chance of having heart attacks than Caucasian women. This is because women of color have a greater chance of developing diseases that lead to heart attacks like hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. Also, the symptoms for heart attacks are less obvious for women. They may feel chest discomfort, but more likely their symptoms will include shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, sweating, lightheadedness or dizziness, and/or unusual fatigue, and neck, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort.

If you have any of these symptoms and think you may be having a heart attack, call for help immediately. Unfortunately, many women show up in the emergency room after their heart was been severely damaged because they didn’t recognize the symptoms.  Remember, you can prevent heart attacks by exercising regularly, keeping a healthy weight, quitting or not smoking, and eating foods low in saturated fat, salt, and cholesterol.