Women & Heart Disease

Consider Your Risk Factors

• Tobacco Use
• Birth Control Pills
• Sedentary Lifestyle
• Overweight or Obese
• Excess Alcohol Consumption
• High Stress
• Age 55+
• Menopause Completion
• Family History of Heart Disease or Diabetes
• High Blood Cholesterol
• High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes

Heart Disease in Women | Dr. Chelsea Ngongang

Warning Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack

• Pressure, squeezing, burning, achiness, tightness or discomfort in the chest – these can last for a few minutes and go away, or they can be constant and build in severity
• Pain that travels down one or both arms
• Jaw pain
• Nausea
• Feeling of fullness
• Tired feeling
• Anxiety
• Back pain
• Shortness of breath

Women can experience these, but many female heart attack survivors report experiencing uncommon symptoms like nervousness, swelling in the ankles or legs, teeth/jaw pain, nausea, flu-like symptoms, and even women’s intuition that something is not right in the body.

If you experience any of these signs and symptoms, call 9-1-1 for assistance. And, please do not put yourself and others at risk by driving to the doctor or hospital.

Heathy Living for Your Healthy Heart

1. Get Active
2. Healthy Diet
3. Manage Blood Pressure
4. Manage Cholesterol
5. Manage Blood Sugar
6. Lose Weight
7. Stop Smoking
8. Know Your Family History 

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

• What are my blood pressure, cholesterol, A1C and blood glucose levels and do they put me at risk for heart disease?
• What about my BMI and waist to hip ratio – those numbers indicate if I’m at risk for heart disease?
• Can I take steps through diet and exercise to improve my risk factors?
• Does my family’s history with heart disease put me at greater risk of developing the disease?
• Should I be taking an aspirin or any medication to reduce my risks?
• Should I be concerned about menopause and its effects on my body and heart (if in your 40’s or 50’s) ?
• When should I consider having cardiovascular tests like an EKG to determine my heart’s health?