MILLIONS of women have no idea they could have a heart attack - because they believe only men suffer fatal cardiac arrests, a study suggests.
Dr Sarah Brewer, medical director at Healthspan, which commissioned the research, said: “Many are aware that heart attacks are something men need to be concerned about, but there is a huge misconception among women that they aren’t at risk. Dr Ameet Bakhai, consultant cardiologist at The Spire Bushey Hospital, said: “The risk of women having a heart attack increases for women once they have gone through the menopause due in part to a reduction in oestrogen.
Almost one in five of the women polled have high blood pressure while others have high cholesterol levels , smoke or are overweight . Professor Newby says: “If you have chest pain and you feel extremely unwell, you should dial 999 and get an ambulance as soon as possible. Professor Newby said: “If you experience intense chest pain even when you are just sitting around doing nothing and you are also feeling sick, that is the time to call for an ambulance.”
Professor Newby says: “If you get a gripping, cramping sensation in your calves when you are walking, it might be worth seeing your doctor, as that can be a marker of PAD .It's not one you might associate with your heart - but a pain in your arm is another warning sign. He says: "It can be a marker of heart failure, but it is also very common and has lots of other causes.
Almost one in five women do worry about their heart health but only one in 10 have had a health check to access their cardiovascular health.Dr Ameet Bakhai added: “Regular check-ups and screening is vital and the Healthspan survey showed that 69 per cent of people who took the survey were already on a statin to lower their cholesterol.
"These ‘modifiable’ factors are important because although we might not be able to change our family history of heart disease, we can certainly alter our thought patterns and tweak our environments to support health.
Who told you that? Bunkum!