Women and Heart Disease
Carilion is prepared to help educate women about the causes of heart disease and its symptoms. We have specific resources for women, as the care and recovery processes may differ from those for men.
Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Here are a few facts:
- One in four women in the United States dies of heart disease, while 1 in 30 dies of breast cancer.
- Twenty-three percent of women will die within one year after having a heart attack.
- Within six years of having a heart attack, about 46 percent of women become disabled with heart failure. Two-thirds of women who have a heart attack fail to make a full recovery.
Heart disease is a bigger threat to women than to men, in part because women aren’t aware of their risks and warning signs. Women’s signs are more subtle than men’s:
- Pain or discomfort around the chest
- Upper body pain: arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
- Shortness of breath, nausea, light-headedness, colds sweats
You may not have signs of heart disease now, but you may have habits that could lead to heart disease, such as smoking, being overweight, or not exercising enough. Awareness is the best way to catch heart disease before it has set in. Talk with your health care provider to make sure you have checked your health profile for signs of early heart disease.
