When we think of the color red, it can mean “stop,” as in a stop sign, or anger, as in “seeing red.” Arlington Memorial Hospital (AMH) and the American Heart Association (AHA) want us to think of red as a symbol of women discovering unique lifesaving power by learning about heart disease and stroke and taking positive action to reduce their risk. Cardiovascular disease is women’s number one killer, claiming more women’s lives than the next seven causes of death combined. That’s nearly 500,000 deaths a year, according to the AHA. Heart disease and stroke are the number one and number three killers, respectively, of women over the age of 25. The AHA’s Go Red for Women campaign is the theme of this year’s Tarrant County Women & Heart Health Luncheon, Friday, April 30, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Arlington Convention Center, 1200 Ballpark Way. Tickets are $45 each. Money raised from this event helps fund important AHA research projects. Cardiovascular disease is mostly preventable, and while much more research needs to be done, plenty of valuable information is available. Come early to the conference and take advantage of free health education and screenings. Exhibits open at 10:30 a.m. Taking control of your heart health is an important first step. Sixty-three percent of women who died suddenly of heart disease had no previous symptoms of the disease. Along with providing a large dose of information, the Women & Heart Health Luncheon will be giving out prescriptions for laughter from speaker Suzie Humphreys. This local favorite has experienced the joys and pains of everyday living, but she has an indomitable spirit and uplifting message. Come expecting to laugh — and to stretch your thinking about what you can achieve.
In 2000, CVD claimed the lives of 505,661 women, whereas cancer in all forms killed 267,009 women. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability; an estimated 15 to 30 percent of stroke survivors are permanently disabled. Knowledge is power. “The most important steps a woman can take are to reduce her risk factors: stop smoking, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, control diabetes and regular exercise,” says Dr. Vignale. At the Women & Heart Health Luncheon, attendees learn healthy goals for women relating to cholesterol levels, blood pressure, glucose levels and body mass index. AMH has community education programs on nutrition and weight control, which can favorably affect blood pressure and cholesterol. There are support programs for diabetic and cardiac patients. The LEARN program stands for its key components — Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships and Nutrition — that lead to successful weight management and healthy living. (Click here for course listing.)
“With cardiovascular disease, exertion may cause you to outstrip the blood flow going to the heart. If you feel discomfort during exertion, but it goes away when you rest, it could be restriction of arterial flow. But don’t ignore that ‘elephant on your chest’ feeling; it’s not strictly limited to men,” he explains. If you ever require hospitalization for CVD, Dr. Vignale calls the new AMH cardiac care suites “state-of-the-art. They are as good as any tertiary — or highly-specialized — facility.” The cardiac catheterization lab, typically for less-invasive but just as important procedures, has also been expanded. In addition to the latest equipment, AMH cardiac patients have access to the latest in screenings and treatments. This includes drug-eluting stents, approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year. More information on the exciting progress in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease will be available at the conference. Tickets for the Women and Heart Health Luncheon are available by contacting the AHA at 817-315-5000.
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by Patsy Miller
“Women taking charge” is a recurring theme in maintaining a healthy heart. There is the misconception that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not a real problem for women, says Steven Vignale, M.D., a cardiologist with HeartPlace and AMH medical director. “Breast cancer gets a lot of publicity, but heart disease is the number one killer of women.”
Women need to learn the symptoms of cardiovascular disease. “We hear about feeling an elephant on our chest, but that typically happens to males. More often for women, it is discomfort between the shoulder blades,” Dr. Vignale says.
