 Damon T. Arnold, director of the Illinois Department of Public
Health, along with representatives of the American Heart Association
and members of the Conference of Women Legislators, gathered at the
state Capitol on Wednesday to celebrate Women's Heart Disease
Awareness Month and encouraged all Illinoisans to wear red on Friday
to raise awareness of heart disease.
Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a "man's
disease," it is the leading cause of death for both women and men in
the United States, and women account for 52.8 percent of the total
heart disease deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. In fact, almost one in three women will die of heart
disease. The latest statistics show that more than 13,000 women in
Illinois died from heart disease in 2006.
"Too many women are lost every year to heart disease," Dr. Arnold
said. "We need to make sure every woman knows about the risks of
heart disease and how they can lower their risk of having a heart
attack. National Wear Red Day is the perfect opportunity to give
women an urgent wake-up call about the risks of heart disease. Most
women fail to make the connection between risk factors and their
personal risk of developing heart disease. We need to make sure
women are taking their risk of this disease personally. Women need
to take the information they learn about heart disease and apply it
to themselves and look at what risk factors they may have and work
to reduce them."
Risk factors are conditions or habits
that make a person more likely to develop a disease. They can also
increase the chances that an existing disease will get worse.
Important risk factors for heart disease that women can do something
about include:
Some risk factors, such as age and family history of early heart
disease, can't be changed. For women, age typically becomes a risk
factor at 55.
LaTosha Caldwell is a 34-year-old mother of three who suffered a
surprise heart attack in 2007 and shared her experience to let
people know that heart disease can happen to anyone, at any time.
"I do believe that as more women, or people for that matter,
become aware of prevention and early warning signs, then we as a
neighborhood, community, nation and world can beat this disease,"
said Caldwell.
"Although heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, research
shows that 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented
if women make the right choices for their hearts, such as eating
healthier, getting regular exercise, choosing not to smoke and
managing their cholesterol and blood pressure," said Dr. Gregory J.
Mishkel, an interventionalist at Prairie Cardiovascular, "The
Doctors of Prairie," and a volunteer spokesman for the American
Heart Association.
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Symptoms of heart attack include:
-
Uncomfortable
pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest
that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
-
Pain or discomfort
in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, stomach.
-
Shortness of breath
along with, or before, chest discomfort.
-
Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
"More women die of cardiovascular disease than the next five
causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer," said Rep.
Sandra Pihos, R-Glen Ellyn, co-chair of the Conference of Women
Legislators. "I want to urge everyone, especially women, to learn
about the signs, symptoms and treatments for heart disease, as well
as the steps they can take to ensure good heart health."
"We must work together -- legislators, doctors, health
departments and more -- to raise awareness of heart disease," said
Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, co-chair of the Conference of Women
Legislators. "I encourage everyone to wear red this Friday for
National Wear Red Day and join millions of people across the country
working together to raise awareness of the No. 1 killer in Illinois
and in the U.S."
This is the first year Illinoisans statewide will observe
February as Women's Heart Disease Awareness Month. It was added to
the State Commemorative Dates Act last summer.
In recognition of Women's Heart
Disease Awareness Month, Advocate Health Care, in partnership with
the Conference of Women Legislators and Chicago-area legislators, is
offering free cardiac screenings for women at four separate
locations during the week of Valentine's Day. Advocate Health Care
has joined with COWL and area legislators in the effort to spread
awareness and help identify cardiac risk in women. The following
Advocate hospitals will be providing free cardiac screenings to
women over the age of 45:
-
Advocate Good
Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove
-
Advocate South
Suburban Hospital, Hazel Crest
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Advocate Illinois
Masonic Hospital, Chicago
-
Advocate Good
Shepherd Hospital, Barrington
To register for one of these screenings or to find out about
additional screenings and classes at other Advocate sites, please
call 1-800-3-ADVOCATE (1-800-323-8622).
[Text from
Illinois Department of Public Health
file received from the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
More information
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