Many Women Unaware of Whether They Are Having a Heart Attack

You would think that, after all these years of exposure to health news on the Internet and in the media, US women would be well aware of the warning signs on a heart attack.  After all, the quicker you get to the ER, the better your chances of a good outcome. Unfortunately, a new study has shown the level of awareness has hardly changed in the last 20 years; it’s posted online in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.      

A survey was completed in 2009 by 1142 women by phone and by 1158 online.  The telephone results were compared to those of previous surveys done in 1997 and later.  Here are some of the main findings:

• ·       More women in 2009 were aware that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death than in 1997 – 54% vs. 30% - but not different from the proportion in 2006 – 57%.  African-American and Hispanic women were significantly less aware (43% and 44%, respectively) than white women. 
• ·       Over 53% of women in 2009 said they would call 911 if they thought they were having a heart attack. 
• ·       Overall awareness of actual heart attack warning signs is unchanged since 1997.  56% of women cited chest pain and pain in the neck, shoulder, and arm.  29% cited shortness of breath, 17% chest tightness, 15% nausea, and 7% fatigue. 
• ·       Most women listed treatments to prevent cardiovascular  disease that have not been proved to work, including antioxidants (70%), multivitamins (69%), and aromatherapy (29%!)

Clearly there’s a gap in many women’s knowledge.  There are good websites that describe the common warning signs of a heart attack in women – they are somewhat different from those in men. If you develop these signs, or some of them, call 911.  Time is of the essence.