Heart disease claims more women’s lives than any other condition – including one of the most feared, breast cancer. Although heart disease is equally common in both genders, there is often a delay in diagnosis for women. “Women tend to get heart disease later than men and sometimes present different symptoms,” says Patricia Martin, MD, a cardiologist with Adventist Midwest Health. “However, women should make heart health a priority before serious diseases develop.”

Understanding heart disease
Every 20 seconds, someone has a heart attack. But it isn’t just a man’s disease. Heart attacks can occur as a result from coronary heart disease, which are blocked blood vessels. If too much cholesterol, a fat-like, waxy substance, builds up in the arteries, blood vessels can become narrowed and cause a heart attack. If clots develop in those areas and become big enough to block off an artery, a heart attack occurs. Common signs of a heart attack include:

• Chest discomfort, such as a dull pain, pressure or a heartburn-like feeling
• Pain in one or both arms, the back, neck or jaw
• Shortness of breath
• Breaking out in a cold sweat
• Lightheadedness

“Although the most common warning sign for men and women is chest discomfort, women can also experience other atypical symptoms,” says Dr. Martin. Atypical symptoms more common in women include:

• Fatigue
• Palpitations
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain

However, some of these symptoms, such as chest pain, don’t always mean a woman is having a heart attack. It can indicate other heart conditions, including mitral valve prolapse or an arrhythmia. “Women who experience any of these symptoms should call 9-1-1 immediately,” Dr. Martin says.

Protecting yourself
Although older women and those with a family history of heart disease are more at risk, there are many risk factors women can control, including:

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Physical inactivity
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure

At Adventist Midwest Health, women’s heart health is a top priority. “I believe in primary prevention,” says Dr. Martin. “I like to see women who don’t have any signs or symptoms of heart disease. Our goal is to catch risk factors early, and interrupt the development of a serious problem.”

Screenings are an important part in detecting heart disease early, and women can do them on their own. Adventist Midwest Health offers patients a wide array of noninvasive, diagnostic screenings and tests to help prevent this deadly disease. One of these tests includes the coronary artery calcium score, which uses X-rays to see if cholesterol in the arteries is becoming calcified. A calcium score above zero indicates an increased risk for heart disease and heart attack.

Adventist Midwest Health also offers a Heart Score screening. This one-on-one consultation helps women determine their risk for heart disease and is provided at a discounted rate. Patients receive a history evaluation, cholesterol screening, blood pressure assessment, blood sugar test and an electrocardiogram (EKG).