Pride has teamed up with the British Heart Foundation to raise awareness about heart health amongst women. First topic on the agenda: heart attacks.
Heart disease wears a skirt too
If you thought the single biggest killer of women was the big C, especially breast cancer, you wouldn’t be alone. But you would be wrong. It’s an enduring myth that heart disease affects men more than women, but the truth is that heart and circulatory disease kills one in three women, as well as one in three men1. Statistics from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) show almost 40,000 women die from heart disease each year2 and there are over a million women living with heart disease in the UK today3.
A survey carried out by the BHF showed that less than half of UK women (47%) would call 999 immediately if they were suffering the symptoms of a heart attack. Worryingly, more than one in 10 (11%) said they would go to bed with the symptoms, and seven per cent admitted they would ignore them and carry on4. The results signal that this lack of awareness could be costing lives. It’s vital that women recognise the symptoms of a heart attack and call 999 immediately.
What’s it like to have a heart attack?
You won’t necessarily fall dramatically to the floor, clutching at your chest – you may instead experience one or a number of these symptoms:
- Chest pain or discomfort, which may spread to the arms, neck, jaw, stomach or back
- A dull pain, ache or ‘heavy’ feeling in your chest
- Chest pain or discomfort like indigestion but makes you feel generally unwell
- Feeling sick, sweaty, breathless, lightheaded, dizzy or generally unwell, as well as pain or discomfort in your chest.
Angina: Nearly a million women suffer from angina, it’s a symptom of heart disease. It is caused by the build up of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries, making them narrow and reducing the blood flow to the heart muscle. It often feels like a heaviness, tightness or dull persistent ache in your chest. It may spread to your arms, neck, jaw, back or stomach – you may feel it in just one or some of these places. Symptoms vary from person to person. The pain can be severe or a mild discomfort and you may have trouble catching your breath. If you feel these symptoms for the first time you should still always call 999. It’s important that you leave it to medical professionals to diagnose whether it’s angina or a heart attack. If you have heart disease, triggers for angina can include physical activity, extreme emotional situations and even cold weather. When you get diagnosed, your doctor can prescribe medicines to help prevent or relieve your symptoms.
Protect your heart health: The good news is that there are many ways to protect your heart health and small changes can make a big difference. A simple way to do this is by following a simple BEAT code:
Be active: Regular physical activity can help keep your heart healthy. Aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity a day, on at least five days a week. You don’t have to don lycra or run a marathon – walking, swimming and taking the stairs all count.
Eat healthily: Healthy eating can help reduce your risk of heart disease. We’re all allowed a little of what we fancy, but try to cut down on saturated fats, salt and alcohol. For top marks, eat at least five portions of fruit and veg a day, oily fish once a week and go for wholegrain options.
Avoid smoking: Smoking can damage the heart and smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack compared with people who have never smoked. If you want to live a longer and healthier life, stopping smoking is the single most important thing you can do.
Take the lifestyle check: There are other factors that affect your heart health, like weight and body shape. Find out how you measure up and what steps you can take to look after your heart. Check out your habits and get a personalised report with tips and support to improve your lifestyle. You can take the free lifestyle check online at bhf.org.uk/lifestylecheck.
There’s lots you can do to keep your heart healthy – whatever your age. To find out more about how to protect your heart health contact the BHF – we have a range of free resources and a heart helpline which can give you all of the information you need.
bhf.org.uk/women
Heart Helpline 0300 330 3311
(1) British Heart Foundation, Coronary Heart Disease statistics 2010.
(2) British Heart Foundation Coronary Heart Disease statistics 2010. The total number of women (all ages) who die from heart disease each year is 38,571.
(3) British Heart Foundation Coronary heart disease statistics 2010.
(4) All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 4303 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 16th – 22nd November 2010. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
