A WOMAN'S SIGN

Television News Service/Medical Breakthroughs

©Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. December 1998

Many people consider heart disease a man's disease. Yet, it's the number one killer of women over the age of 65. Doctors say more women die from heart disease because they often don't recognize the signs of a heart attack. At 67, Ila Cullins says she counts her blessings for each day she spends with her grandchild. A few years ago, Ila got the scare of her life. "Very few women have heart disease. That's what I always thought. I was under that impression, but I was very wrong," she says. Ila was experiencing severe back

pain and shortness of breath. She didn't realize she was having a heart attack. Samuel DeMaio, M.D., says the signs of a heart attack often are different in women. "They don't have the classic crushing substernal or chest discomfort that radiates down their arm or up into their neck like what you classically read about in cardiology text books," says Dr. DeMaio, a cardiologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Tex. Instead, women experience symptoms like shortness of breath, an ache in the neck, back or jaw, nausea and fatigue. Often, they don't recognize these signs and delay their visit to the ER. "If we catch it early enough before you've had a heart attack or before you've had two heart attacks, we can probably save your life and extend it indefinitely," says Dr. DeMaio. Ila suffered a massive heart attack, but she's back on her feet now following a triple bypass. She warns women not to ignore the warning signs of heart disease. "I didn't think that I would ever have heart problems, but I did," says Ila. Health experts say women who smoke, have a family history of heart disease, experience high blood pressure or high cholesterol are at risk. So check with your doctor if you are in any of these groups. If you would like more information, please contact: Baylor Health Care Systems Information Services (800) 422-9567 Tomatoes can help prevent heart disease.