Samaritan Healthcare | The Samaritan | Spring 2018

Lilly’s story: At 37, Lilly began having chest pain. When a worried co-worker insisted on driving her to the hospital, she told him to just to drop her off, saying “Don’t worry about me.” He was right to insist she get medical help. She was having a heart attack. 1 What you can learn from her experience: Heart disease affects women of all ages. Yes, your risk rises with age, especially after meno- pause. But heart disease can start early—even teens can get it. In fact, young women who smoke and use birth control pills, an especially risky combination, raise their risk of heart disease by 20 percent. And even if you lead a totally heart- healthy lifestyle, being born with a heart condition or having a family history of heart disease can heighten your risk of heart problems. Stephanie’s story: At 47, Stephanie had never been in better shape. But during a vigorous kickboxing workout, she suddenly felt dizzy, weak and nauseous—heart attack warning signs. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with a serious condition called spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a tearing in her coronary artery wall that triggered her heart attack. 2 What you can learn from her experience: Don’t assume because you exercise you can’t have a heart problem. Even if you regularly run marathons, you can still have a heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest. Many other heart disease risk factors—from eating a poor diet to carrying extra pounds—can offset being active. Genetics can play a role, too. uick: What’s the No. 1 killer of American women? If you don’t know— maybe you said breast cancer, a common guess—you’re hardly alone. Nearly half of all women in a recent national survey couldn’t come up with the right answer—heart disease—even though heart disease is more deadly for women than all cancers combined. What you don’t know about heart disease might cost you your life. The following real stories of women can help you learn five crucial facts about this still often misunderstood disease. Protect yourself. No mat- ter what your age, see your doctor regularly for checkups and don’t leave without a heart-to-heart talk. Ask your doctor about your risk of getting heart disease and how to lower it. Protect yourself. By all means, get regu- lar exercise. Your heart is a muscle that becomes stronger with physical activity. But think big picture too. Eat smart—build your diet around produce, whole grains, legumes, fish and low-fat dairy products. Go easy on sweets, salt, and fatty or red processed meats. Don’t smoke, and try to stay clear of secondhand smoke—both hurt your heart. And keep an eye on your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. 5 things every woman Q 6 THE SAMARITAN Heart disease