Women More Likely Than Men To Die From Heart Attack -Cardiologist, Dr. Eugene Nwosu | Know The Warning Signs & How To Avoid It
Heart disease, according to Dr. Eugene Nwosu, a consultant Cardiologist, is the major cause of death in women and kills more in a year than ovarian, uterine and breast cancers.
The expert said experiences and reports have shown that women are more prone to especially dying from heart attack than men, emphasising the need to be proactive by identifying predisposing risk factors.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH HealthWise, the American-trained heart specialist and medical director of United Heart Hospital and Clinic, Lagos, said women of all ages should take heart disease seriously.
He urged women to monitor their blood pressure, noting that high blood pressure is now a big issue among women and could lead to heart attack.
“Heart disease is women disease and women disease is heart disease. Despite being the number one killer of both men and women, there are additional risk factors that make women more susceptible.
“The risk for heart attack increases steadily with age. In women, the risk increases from 65 years of age. However, younger women and men can also have heart attacks, and the current epidemic of obesity and inactivity has been a major factor,”
Nwosu said.
The cardiologist explained that heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction, is a life-threatening condition that occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is abruptly cut off, causing tissue damage.
This, he noted, is usually due to a blockage in one or more of the coronary arteries, adding that a blockage can develop due to a buildup of plaque, a substance mostly made of fat, cholesterol, and cellular waste products.
According to Texas Heart Institute, heart attacks are generally more severe in women than in men.
It noted that in the first year after a heart attack, women are more than 50 per cent more likely to die than men are, adding that in the first six years after a heart attack, women are almost twice as likely to have a second heart attack.
“Women need to be aware of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the importance of making lifestyle changes that may reduce those risks.
“Factors such as race, increasing age, and a family history of heart disease cannot be changed.
“Other risk factors, however, can be changed or eliminated by making informed decisions about cardiovascular health,”
it stated.
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On symptoms of a heart attack, Healthline, an online wellness portal, noted that not all people who have heart attacks experience the same symptoms or the same severity of symptoms.
It, however, pointed out that chest pain is the most commonly reported symptom among both women and men, but that women are more likely than men to experience shortness of breath, jaw pain, upper back pain, lightheadedness, nausea and vomiting.
Further highlighting heart attack symptoms, Nwosu explained that Angina, also known as angina pectoris, is chest pain or pressure, usually due to not having enough blood flow to the heart muscle.
He said it is a warning sign of heart disease, and recognizing it and getting treated early may help prevent a heart attack. The cardiologist noted that most people mistake such chest pain for indigestion and chose to self medicate.
He maintained that the lifesaving measure for a heart attack is recognising the symptoms and presenting early to the right doctor.
“When an artery is clogged up completely and there is no blood flow, that signals the onset of heart attack. The ability to open up the arteries within four hours can help minimise the damage.
“Timing is of essence. Showing up like 12 hours after having a severe chest pain might be too late. Once you can present on time and a professional heart doctor opens up the arteries, everything will be fine,”
he said.
On how to avoid a heart attack, Nwosu, a Diplomate American Board of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases, said prevention remains the key, but there must be significant changes in lifestyles and habits that make women more susceptible to heart attack. He added:
“Being knowledgeable of the cardiovascular disease, especially stroke and other sudden attacks that don’t come with symptoms and how to take care of oneself against them, is key.
“When you wait to get the disease it might be too late. The most important thing is for people to know how to prevent heart disease.”
He said the first thing is to be knowledgeable, while also emphasising that eating the right food and avoiding sedentary lifestyle play a big role in curtailing heart failure,
“If a father dies of heart disease and the daughter already has a cholesterol level of 400, the person is heading for a cardiac arrest. The normal level should be 200.
“High blood pressure, diabetes, poor eating habit, sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise are risk factors for a heart attack.
“Being overweight is a sign of bad metabolic syndrome and Nigerians are beginning to get comfortable with gaining weight.
“A woman that weighs 300 is prone to heart attack. Even 110kg is prone.
“Women should know and monitor their blood pressure. Avoid consuming fizzy drinks and junk foods. They are ticking time bombs.
“There is a need to exercise moderately for at least 30 to 45 minutes per day.
“Exercising doesn’t mean you have to run rigorously. Brisk walk for about 30 to 45 minutes is good.
“If you have a pedometer (a portable device that counts steps), 10, 000 steps, which is about 4. 4 miles a day is super exercise. Taking the stairs rather than the elevator is good and would also help you to lose weight
“Eat healthily by taking more fruits and vegetables. Also reduce stress and treat depression,”
he said.
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The cardiologist also warned that said the risk of heart attack doubles for women that smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and is the cause of one in every three deaths in women.
It further noted that breathing second-hand smoke can cause coronary heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.
The CDC stated,
“Secondhand smoke causes nearly 34,000 early deaths from coronary heart disease each year in the United States among nonsmokers.
“Nonsmokers who breathe secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 per cent. Secondhand smoke increases the risk for stroke by 20 to 30 per cent.
“Each year, secondhand smoke exposure causes more than 8,000 deaths from stroke.
“Breathing secondhand smoke interferes with the normal functioning of the heart, blood, and vascular systems in ways that increase your risk of having a heart attack.
“Even briefly breathing secondhand smoke can damage the lining of blood vessels and cause your blood to become stickier. These changes can cause a deadly heart attack.”