Women encouraged to 'keep heart in mind'

West Tennessee is firmly entrenched in the 'Stroke Belt' of the nation. The deepest red counties have the highest heart disease death rates for women ages 35 and older. [Click to enlarge]

Most women worry they'll be diagnosed with breast cancer. But breast cancer - even all cancers combined - isn't what kills the largest percentage of women.

The No. 1 killer of women in the United States is heart disease, said Dr. Tommy Miller, a cardiologist with the Mid-South Heart Center in Dyersburg. He presented "Keeping Your Heart in Mind" during the Healthy Woman event Feb. 10 at the Plantations Bar & Grille.

"Heart disease is responsible for almost twice as many deaths among women as all forms of cancer combined," Miller reported. But, only about 8 percent of women believe heart disease or stroke are their greatest health threats.

Statistics show cardiovascular disease is responsible for 41 percent of all female deaths, he said.

Cardiovascular disease includes diseases of the heart and blood vessels, such as heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and angina, or chest pain. Strokes and heart attacks occur when deposits of cells, fat and cholesterol form in arteries and block the flow of blood.

Dr. Tommy Miller, a local cardiologist, talks to Healthy Women members about cardiovascular disease, which often goes unrecognized in women. [Click to enlarge]

Women are less likely to survive, recover and do well after a heart attack. More women than men have died from heart disease every year since 1984, and the death rate is rising. In fact, 38 percent of women who've had a heart attack will die within a year. For men, that percentage falls to 25. Women also are more likely than men to die from strokes.

Race is a factor, too. African-American women are 60 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than Caucasian women.

The silver lining to all that doom and gloom is the fact that women can take steps to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. Try:

* Avoiding tobacco products. Smoking is a big risk factor, Miller said, urging women to stop smoking.

* Eating a heart-healthy diet.

Healthy Woman's February session was a 'Wear Red' event in celebration of heart month. Even the guest speaker, cardiologist Tommy Miller, wore red.

* Maintaining a healthy weight. Miller said 80 percent of the U.S. population is overweight.

* Controlling blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Persons who have diabetes are treated like patients who've already been diagnosed with heart disease, he said, because their risk of heart attacks and strokes is much higher. Miller said women should treat high cholesterol levels aggressively with diet and exercise and medication, if necessary.

* Exercising at least 30 minutes a day. Lack of physical activity is a risk factor. Try adding aerobic activities to strengthen the heart.

Dr. Tommy Miller of the Mid-South Heart Center in Dyersburg talks with Clemenette Gordon, who attended a Healthy Woman program on heart disease. [Click to enlarge]

* Learning to reduce and manage stress.

* Asking your health care provider about screening for heart disease. Physical activity may help deal with stress.

Risk factors over which women have no control include: age, race, a loss of estrogen and a family history of heart disease.

Women also face certain age-related risks.

Young women need to pay attention to what they do. Miller said physical activity levels drop sharply as girls become teens and almost 15 percent of girls ages 6-19 are overweight. Also about 80 percent of smokers begin using tobacco before the age of 18.

Beginning at age 50, more women than men have elevated cholesterol levels. And, for women aged 55, the lifetime risk of developing high blood pressure is 90 percent. Menopause also plays a part: heart disease rates also are two to three times higher for postmenopausal women than for those of the same age who have not yet undergone the change.

Risks for older women are even more pronounced. About 14 million women older than 65 have high blood pressure. Most women 65 and older have obvious heart disease or "silent" atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. The average age for a woman to experience her first heart attack is 70.

Cardiologist Dr. Tommy Miller talks to Jayne Sorrell and Dot Frazier, both of Dyersburg, after his Healthy Woman presentation. [Click to enlarge]

Heart disease isn't always easily identified in women. Their symptoms aren't the same as men's symptoms - and most research has focused on men.

"Women can have very different symptoms," Miller said. "By the time they get to the point a doctor will refer them to a cardiologist, the disease is much more advanced."

Women's symptoms are often milder than men's symptoms and they can easily be confused with other ailments, such as an earache, intermittent tooth pain, shortness of breath or a general feeling of not being well, he said.

A recent study of 515 women who'd had a heart attack within the previous six months showed that 95 percent experienced some warning signs at least a month in advance. Fewer than 30 percent of the women experienced chest pain prior to the attack and 43 percent did not experience chest pain during the attack.

Miller said many women who have warning signs ignored them because they didn't realize they were warning signs.

The most common symptoms for a woman prior to a heart attack are: unusual fatigue, 70 percent; sleep disturbance, 48 percent; indigestion, 39 percent; and anxiety, 35 percent.

During a heart attack, the most common symptoms are: shortness of breath, 58 percent; weakness, 55 percent; unusual fatigue, 43 percent; a cold sweat, 39 percent; and dizziness, 39 percent.

Miller urged women not to delay seeking care. Delays may lead to muscle damage in the heart.

Doctors may use a variety of tests to diagnose whether a patient is having a heart attack. These include an electrocardiogram, an X-ray, blood tests, echocardiogram, stress test, cardiac catheterization nuclear imaging and an MRI, or magnetic resonance image.

Patients may be treated with medications to dissolve blood clots, balloon angioplasty or coronary artery bypass. Balloon angioplasty widens narrow arteries using an inflated balloon. Sometimes stents, or small metal coils, are placed inside an artery to hold it open. Miller said stents don't close, but blockages can grow into them. Physicians may prescribe medicine to slow blockage growth.

Instead of waiting for warning signs and debating whether they might have had a heart attack, Miller recommended that women take a preventive approach to heart health.

Knowledge plus action equals power, he said.

Before Miller's talk, Plantations Chef Shane Mischler prepared a low-fat version of chicken jambalaya for the Healthy Woman luncheon. He also shared the recipe:

Low Fat Grilled Chicken Jambalaya with Wild Rice

1/3 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons margarine

2 tomatoes, diced

11/2 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup long-grain wild rice

1/2 teaspoon dried basil and thyme

1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon black and cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon Tabasco

1 bay leaf

2 cups grilled chicken

1/2 cup diced Canadian bacon

In a large skillet, cook celery, onion, garlic and green pepper in margarine until tender. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, rice, basil, thyme, Cajun seasoning, peppers, Tabasco, Canadian bacon and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in chicken.

Yield: 4 servings.

The Healthy Woman program is coordinated through the Dyersburg Regional Medical Center. Membership is free. Monthly programs focus on a variety of issues of interest to women. For more information, call Healthy Woman Coordinator Judy Boehmler at 287-2109.

Warning signs of heart disease and strokes in women

Heart disease warning signs

* Chest discomfort.

* Upper-body discomfort, including one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

* Shortness of breath.

* Breaking out in a cold sweat.

* Nausea.

* Light-headedness.

Stroke warning signs

* Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.

* Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

* Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

* Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

* Sudden, severe headache.