“Widow Maker” does not just apply to men

Many women today feel the need to be Superwoman, never admitting when they need help. A perfect example happened recently to a friend I have known for 30 years. Over the past months, her energy level dropped dramatically, she was fatigued and rising from the couch was a chore. What was her conclusion? She was stressed out by responsibilities.

My friend would sometimes break out in severe bouts of sweating. As any woman in her fifties might assume—it could be menopause. While her self-diagnosis seems reasonable, these were signs leading to her heart-attack. Her specific attack was nicknamed the “Widow Maker.” Her left main coronary artery was 100 percent clogged and doctors were amazed she survived. If you don’t know, heart disease is the number one killer of women. Men can be widows too.



My friend thought she had the flu when emergency medical technicians came to her office. Her heart rate was 36 beats per minute and clearer minds prevailed. Like my friend, many women chalk symptoms up to less-threatening illnesses. According to the American Heart Association, many women dismiss these symptoms because they are usually putting their families first. While some of the symptoms may point to something less significant, experiencing more than one could mean something much more serious.

Women do not always have the classic symptoms people associate with a heart attack. They tend to be more silent and dismiss signs. According to WebMD, women need to be mindful of the following symptoms and have them checked out:

1. Chest pain or discomfort – It may feel like a squeezing or fullness, and the pain can be anywhere in the chest, not just the left side.

2. Pain in your arms, back or neck – This type of pain is more common in women than men. It may confuse women who expect the pain to be within their chest and left arm, not the back or jaw.

3. Stomach pain – Sometimes people mistake stomach pains with heartburn, the flu or an ulcer when they signal a heart attack.

4. Shortness of breath, nausea or lightheadedness – If you’re having trouble breathing for no apparent reason, you could be having a heart attack, especially if you have other symptoms.

5. Sweating – Breaking out in a nervous, cold sweat is common among women who are having a heart attack.

6. Fatigue – Some women who have heart attacks feel extremely tired, even if they’ve been sitting still for a while. Patients often complain of tiredness in the chest and say that they can’t do simple activities like walk to the bathroom.

The following links provide information on symptoms and actions to take to lower your chances of cardiovascular disease:

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/womens-heart-attack-symptoms?page=2

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/WarningSignsofaHeartAttack/Heart-Attack-Symptoms-in-Women_UCM_436448_Article.jsp.