Baltimore, MD – According to The Baltimore Sun, heart disease continues to pose a significant threat to women across the United States, including in Maryland, where awareness and prevention efforts are crucial for public health.
Lori Sepich, a 64-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, smoked for years and occasionally neglected her blood pressure medication. She never imagined she would suffer a heart attack. The possibility simply did not register with her until she experienced two such events, 13 years apart.
Sepich’s story highlights a broader reality: more than 60 million women in the U.S. live with cardiovascular disease, encompassing heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. Contrary to common myths that heart attacks primarily affect men, women are equally vulnerable. In fact, one in five women dies from cardiovascular disease each year, with 37,000 succumbing specifically to heart attacks.
“Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women. It will affect you or someone you know,” emphasized Dr. Sharonne Hayes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She stressed the importance of recognizing symptoms and acting swiftly during a potential heart attack.
Preventing heart attacks requires proactive measures. The American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8” provides a framework: improve diet, quit tobacco use, ensure healthy sleep, increase physical activity, control cholesterol, and manage weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Dr. Stacey Rosen, the association’s president, recommended regular checkups to monitor health, discuss family history, and address risk factors unique to women.
Women face disproportionate risks from autoimmune conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, which promote inflammation and elevate heart disease risk. Depression, more prevalent among women, links to inflammation and sedentary lifestyles. Additionally, pregnancy-related issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes, miscarriages, stillbirths, and menopausal symptoms like hot flashes correlate with higher cardiovascular risks.
Heart attacks in women often deviate from dramatic cinematic portrayals. While chest pain or discomfort is common, women experience a wider array of symptoms compared to men, including back pain, shortness of breath, cold sweats, fatigue, nausea, lightheadedness, anxiety, jaw pain, and tingling in the fingers.
Experts believe physiological differences contribute to these variations, with symptoms in women sometimes emerging more gradually. Many patients report to Dr. Hayes that their discomfort fluctuated before they realized the severity.
Immediate action is vital if a heart attack is suspected. “If you think there’s even a chance that you’re having a heart attack, that’s when you call 911,” advised Dr. Rosen. She urged erring on the side of caution rather than minimizing potential dangers. Ambulances offer superior emergency capabilities over urgent care or private offices en route to the hospital.
Delays in treatment can exacerbate damage or prove fatal. Sepich’s first heart attack on Easter Sunday 2005 exemplified this: she awoke to intense chest pressure, nausea, and arm pain but ignored the signs due to shock and fear. She attended church, a family lunch, and worked the next day before seeking emergency care at her doctor’s insistence. There, she received six stents and spent a week in the hospital.
Learning from the experience, Sepich responded faster to her second heart attack, securing another stent for a near-total blockage in her heart’s main artery. Today, she maintains controlled blood pressure, has abstained from smoking for over two decades, and exercises nearly daily.
Her message to women is clear: confront heart disease honestly. Denial can be deadly, as Sepich reflected, “I could justify my actions from denial… Well, it does hurt you. It can kill you.”
In Maryland, where women’s health initiatives align with national efforts, resources like the American Heart Association’s programs encourage vigilance. For instance, statistical data shows that cardiovascular disease claims lives at alarming rates, underscoring the need for education. An example from Sepich’s journey illustrates how timely intervention can transform outcomes, saving lives through awareness and action. For more information, visit The Baltimore Sun.