Heart disease, a man’s disease? Not on your life. Heart disease and stroke claimed approximately 4,600 more women’s lives than men in 2001, and surprisingly, 38 percent of women compared to 25 percent of men will die within one year of their first heart attack. “Heart disease and stroke claim more women’s lives each year than the next seven causes of death combined, and nearly twice as many as all forms of cancer, including breast cancer,” said Vilma Torres, M.D., a cardiologist at Loma Linda Hospital who specializes in women’s heart disease, and is the president of the Inland Empire American Heart Association.

This lack of awareness may be due in part to successful campaigns geared to raise awareness about cancer. The message might have worked too well. A recent poll in this magazine reported that 47 percent of women living in the Inland Empire believed that breast cancer was their number one health concern, followed by Alzheimer’s disease and menopause. A report from the American Heart Association (AHA) mimics these perceptions on a national scale, with only 8 percent of women surveyed in the U.S. pointing to heart disease as a health threat, while 62 percent named cancer.        

Another culprit to this misconception has to do with the very nature of being female. Hormones such as estrogen are believed to provide some protection from heart disease at least until menopause, and give women about a 10 year buffer over heart disease than men. But factors like obesity, smoking, stress and diabetes counteract any protective physical affects. In fact, 9,000 women under the age of 45 suffer heart attacks, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. “This isn’t your grandmother’s disease,” said Samuel Kumar, M.D., a cardiologist at Riverside Medical Clinic. “Heart attack sufferers are getting younger by the year.”

Emily Watson, 30, a teacher with Corona/Norco school district, was startled at these findings. “All the walks and other campaigns about breast cancer freaked me out, so it was the only issue I really worried about. But high blood pressure runs in my family and I didn’t even think about [heart disease].”

The truth is that heart disease is preventable. Taking steps to reduce risk factors such as stopping smoking, controlling diabetes and high blood pressure, maintaining healthy cholesterol, and keeping a healthy weight are all ways to curb the onslaught of the disease. But in today’s high-stress society, women are more likely to be overweight and less likely to exercise regularly.

Another challenge women must overcome is the way heart disease has been historically treated as a man’s disease. “Women may suffer from different symptoms when having a heart attack. Men have been trained that chest pain is a red flag, but in women, a heart attack can be more subtle,” said Torres. In fact, women may suffer from extreme fatigue and sleeplessness as much as a month before suffering a heart attack, according to a study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Treatment and outcomes also differ between the sexes. According to the AHA’s 2002 Heart and Stroke Statistical Update, women are less likely than men to receive beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, or aspirin after a heart attack, and women are almost twice as likely as men to die after bypass surgery.

All risk factors, along with a genetic predisposition to heart disease and a one-size-fitsall mentality to treatment within the medical community can spell a recipe for disaster for women. “Realistically, women should start to think about heart disease prevention when they’re in their twenties” warned Joseph Quan, M.D., another cardiologist with Riverside Medical Clinic. The clinic, in a partnership with VolantHealth Diagnostics, has also moved to raise awareness about heart disease with women in the Inland Empire with their campaign, ‘Well Red From the Heart’. Quan goes on to say, “The old saying rings true: When you’re in your twenties, you have the body you were born with. After that, you get the body you deserve.”

Riverside Medical Clinic is pleased to be part of the American Heart association's efforts to raise awareness about the risks of heart disease in women and to help you keep a healthy heart. Our board certified physicians provide you with the best treatment options available. And our multi-specialty practice of over 95 physicians means you and your family receive world-class healthcare right here in the Inland Empire. Start your journey on the road to a healthy heart for years to come. Call us today at  (909) 683-6370 to get your risk assessment for developing heart disease.

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