Show #331 Airing Sunday, 2/12/06
Chocolate hearts might top the Valentine’s Day wish list for the women in your life. But this February, the American Heart Association wants to give all your sweet “hearts” the best heart gift of all...a healthy one. Here to explain is the big hearted Dr. Alice Petrulis, medical director for Ohio KePRO.
Question: First, what do we mean by heart disease?
Answer: By heart disease, we are referring to one (or more) of several medical conditions:
- Angina
- Coronary artery disease (hardening of the arteries to the heart, the blood flow to the heart is decreased.)
- heart attack (what happens when blood flow to the heart is cut off).
- heart failure (muscle of the heart is damaged).
Question: Why is it so important to shine a light on women and heart disease?
Answer: Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women. While one in eight women get breast cancer, one in five die of heart disease. Of course, we want to continue our focus on breast cancer for women’s health…but a focus on heart disease must be added as well.
Although it’s the number one killer of women, not much research has been done on women and heart disease until recently. Symptoms in women are often very different from the ones we are familiar with in men (such as crushing pain in the chest, jaw, and left arm). Instead, women may experience shortness of breath, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, or no symptoms at all.
Question: What is the Go Red for Women campaign?
Answer: February 3rd was the American Heart Association’s “Go Red Day,” to highlight the importance of heart health for women. You may have noticed publications and ads talking about this day. The idea is to help promote awareness throughout the month of February
Question: What can we do to support the campaign?
Answer: You can look at their website, goredforwomen.org. There are numerous suggestions for joining and promoting the campaign, including ideas such as hanging red holiday lights outdoors to promote awareness.
You can also call the number at the end of this segment to get the AHA’s red dress pin, the symbol of the campaign, or other materials such as pocket calendars and educational pieces.
Question: While all that's great to raise awareness, just wearing a pin is not enough. What else should our viewers do to support healthy hearts for women?
Answer: Exercising, eating right, controlling blood pressure and stopping smoking are huge ways one can prevent heart disease. You also want to get control of your lipid count (the body’s fatty components, of which cholesterol is one), through diet or medication (like ). And if you have shortness of breath, or flu-like symptoms, don’t just fluff it off—go see your doctor.
Question: Do doctor's understand the seriousness of heart disease in women, or do they need to be educated?
Answer: Yes. Most doctors are well aware of the issues through their on-going training and the media.
Make heart health your focus this month by joining the Go Red for Women awareness campaign. We’ll tell you how in a moment. My “heart-felt” thanks to Dr. Alice Petrulis.
