I05 -- February 2008 -- Heart Disease in Women

Intro: For decades, heart disease was considered a man's disease. But what many people don't' realize is that each year heart disease kills more women than men. And because of this misperception, women with heart issues sometimes don't get the diagnoses or care they need. Let's go to Mayo Clinic where doctors are trying to change that.

"I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD ANY HEART PROBLEMS UNTIL I HAD MY HEART ATTACK."

BUT SHARON FELLERSON, WHO WAS ADOPTED AS A CHILD, DID KNOW THAT HER BIRTH MOTHER HAD HEART TROUBLE.

"SHE ENDED UP WITH TWO HEART ATTACKS AND A BYPASS."

SO WITH A FAMILY HISTORY LIKE THAT WHY DIDN'T SHARON REALIZE SHE WAS AT RISK? ONE REASON COULD BE THAT FOR DECADES HEART DISEASE WAS CONSIDERED A MAN'S DISEASE. THE TRUTH IS HEART DISEASE IS THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF MEN AND WOMEN. ONE OUT OF FOUR WOMEN WILL DIE OF HEART DISEASE. BUT RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MEN TEND TO DO A WHOLE LOT BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.

"WOMEN TEND TO BE DIAGNOSED LATER IN THEIR DISEASE AND ONCE THEY DO GET DIAGNOSED THEY TEND TO DO MORE POORLY THAN MEN IN THEIR OUTCOMES."
THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS FOR THIS. DOCTORS MAY NOT BE VIGILANT ABOUT TREATING RISK FACTORS FOR WOMEN. WOMEN MAY HAVE DIFFERENT RESPONSES TO TREATMENT THAN MEN. AND SOME WOMEN, LIKE SHARON, SIMPLY DON'T REALIZE THEY ARE AT RISK.

"THE BIGGEST MESSAGE IS THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE TALKING TO THEIR PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE AND WHAT SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF."

WOMEN SHOULD KNOW THAT NOT ALL HEART ATTACKS CAUSE CHEST PAIN. OTHER SYMPTOMS INCLUDE PAIN THAT RADIATES TO YOUR JAW, SHOULDER, OR ARM, NAUSEA, VOMITING AND INTENSE SWEATING. IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OR ANY CHEST DISCOMFORT THAT JUST DOESN'T GO AWAY CALL 911.

"IT'S BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN DEAD."

FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS.

Anchor tag: Dr. Hayes says there is currently much research underway to determine why women don't do as well as men and what can be done about it. She also says things are improving because more women and their doctors are learning about the realities of women and heart disease.

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