Heart Health Awareness and Prevention
Today, 28th February 2025, marks the last day of Heart Health Month 2025. As we transition into March, we celebrate International Women’s Day, a time to honour and recognise the achievements of women. We also want to highlight an important aspect of women’s health—heart health.
To conclude Heart Health Month and to increase education and raise greater awareness, in the lead up to International Women’s Day, in this article, we will discuss some of the most common heart attack symptoms in women, along with how they may differ from those experienced by men.
A few members of our Cayman Heart Foundation team will be at the Cayman Islands Women’s Health Conference on March 7th, 2025 at Hotel Indigo (learn more about the conference here).
We’ll have leaflets available with key heart health information for you to take, along with more details about the Cayman Heart Foundation. Be sure to visit our booth!
Prevalence and Awareness
Nearly 45% of women aged 20 and older are affected by some form of cardiovascular disease.
Only 44% of women in the U.S. acknowledge cardiovascular disease as their most significant health risk.
Among Black women aged 20 and older, nearly 59% are living with cardiovascular disease, and over 50,000 Black women die from it each year.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of maternal mortality, responsible for more than one-third of maternal deaths.
Despite these alarming statistics, for much of the 20th century, heart disease was largely seen as a male issue, leading to a notable lack of representation of women in cardiovascular research and clinical trials.
Recognising Heart Attack Symptoms in Women
Many women believe that heart attack symptoms are easy to recognise, but they are not always obvious and can sometimes be mistaken for less serious conditions like acid reflux. However, even subtle symptoms can be life-threatening.
If you experience any of these symptoms, call 911 and get to a hospital right away:
- Chest pain that may feel like pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing, or aching. It may last for several minutes or come and go.
- Pain or discomfort in the arm(s), back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
- Shortness of breath, with or without chest pain or tightness.
- Breaking out into a cold sweat.
- Nausea.
- Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness.
Prevention and Lifestyle Changes
The good news is that 75% of coronary heart disease cases in women can be prevented through lifestyle modifications, including:
- Healthy Diet: Following a Mediterranean or DASH diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
- Regular Exercise: At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
- Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight reduces stress on the heart.
- Quitting Smoking: Smoking significantly increases heart disease risk.
- Routine Medical Checkups: Monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
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