Women Should Know The Facts

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Every woman should know the facts and what to do.

There us a study that men have blockages in the larger

arteries whereas women have blockages of he smaller

arteries of the heart. This is why there aren't as many

bypass surgeries on women. I was aware that female

heart attacks are different, but this is the best description

I've ever read. You all take care out there!

Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction)

Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic

symptoms that men have when experiencing heart

attack...you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the

chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping

to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the

story of one woman's experience with a heart attack.

"I had a completely unexpected heart attack at about

10:30 pm with NO prior exertion; NO prior emotional

trauma that one would suspect might've brought it on.

I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening,

with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting

story my friend had sent me, and actually thin king,

"A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my

soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up." A

moment later, I felt that awful sensation of

indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a

bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of

water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've

swallowed a golf ball going down the esop hagus in slow

motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you

shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to

chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of

water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This

was my initial sensation---the only trouble was that I

hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m.

"After that ha d seemed to subside, the next sensation

was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be

racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my

aorta spasming), gaining speed as they continued

racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where

one presses rhythmically when administering CPR).

This fascinating process continued on into my throat

and branched out into both jaws.

"AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was

happening--we all have read and/or heard about pain in

the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening,

haven't we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, "Dear

God, I think I'm having a heart attack !" I lowered

the foot rest, dumping the cat from my lap, started to

take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought

to myself "If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be

walking into the next room where the phone is or

anywhere else.......but, on the other hand, if I

don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I

wait any longer I may not be able to get up in

moment."

"I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked

slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics.

I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due

to the pressure building under the sternum and

radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or

afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was

sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the

front door was near to me, and if so, to unbolt the

door and then lie down on the floor where they could

see me when they came in.

"I then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost

consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming

in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting

me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made

to St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when

we arrived and saw that the Cardiologist was already

there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics

pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending

over me asking questions (probably something like "Have

you taken any medications?") but I couldn't make my

mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer,

and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist

and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram

balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into

my heart where they installed 2 side by side stints to

hold open my right coronary artery.

"I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at

home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before

calling the Paramedics, but actually it took perhaps

4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station

and St. Jude are only minutes away from my home, and

my Cardiologist was all ready to go to the OR in his

scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had

stopped somewhere between my arrival and the

procedure) and installing the stints.

"Why have I written all of this to you with so much

detail? Because I want all of you who are so important

in my life to know what I learned first hand."

1. Be aware that something very different is happening

in your body--not the usual men's symptoms, but

inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and

jaws got into the act ). It is said that many more

women than men die of their first (and last) MI

because they didn't know they were having one, and

commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox

or other anti-heartburn preparation, and go to bed,

hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they

wake up...which doesn't happen. My female friends,

your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I

advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is

unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. I t

is better to have a "false alarm" visitation than to

risk your life guessing what it might be!

2. Note that I said "Call the Paramedics". Ladies,

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself

to the ER--you're a hazard to others on the road, and

so is your panicked husband who will be speeding and

looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead

of the road. Do NOT call your doctor--he doesn't know

where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him

anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering

service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't

carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved!

The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need

ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.

3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because

you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has

discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely

the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high and/or

accompanied by high blood pressure.) MI's are usually

caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the

body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into

your system to sludge things up in there. Pain in the

jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful

and be aware. The more we know, the better chance

we could survive.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail

sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save

at least one life.

[almaty 19]

what about men? f##k them let them die?

[almaty 19]

just joking...

[brnidokiegurl 0]

[almaty 19]

sister, i was joking////nice of you to post useful info here

[brnidokiegurl 0]

yes i knew that....

[Ban Hammer 13,643]

what about men? f##k them let them die?

the woman should whip out a boobie and revive the man

[brnidokiegurl 0]

thats what happens when u want to give him a heart attack

[LuzyC 0]

what about men? f##k them let them die?

[Fandango 1,440]

A friend of mine was 39 when she had a heart attack. And she was not sick at all beforehand.

Thank God, she is ok now. A lot healthier as she's changed her lifestyle. We are very lucky!

[Aymerlu 3]

Thing is and there is proof....that a doctor will address mens issues way before a womans. I am always getting pissed off at the doctors I work for when I woman comes in and says she has back/check pain. They will automatically say she has "acid reflux!" Woman don't seem to have the classic symtoms of heart condtions as a man may have. My mom and my aunt who has had diabetes all of their life, which increases their risk for heart disease had a hellofa time getting a doctor to listen to them. My aunt had a double by-pass last year and the young age of 50 and my mom just found out yesterday that she has something going on with her heart as well. Here I am having chest pain for the last year and doctor after doctor keep saying I have acid reflux. Will they do a test on me to prove that? Hell no. So next week when I see the doctor I'm demanding tests to be run on me. Hey....I'm paying the bill, I don't know why they would care. I think it's very important for women to be aware of their health and risks they may have.