Wheaton Community Hospital and Medical Center

Women's Heart Health

Wear RED
to Support Women and Heart Disease Awareness

Friday, February 5, 2010 is National Wear Red Day - a day when Americans nationwide will take women's health to heart by wearing red to show thier suppost for women's heart disease awareness. Every year heart disease claims the lives of close to half a million women in our country. In fact, it's the No. 1 killer of American women. Since most of those deaths are from coronary heart disease - about 500,000 each year - it's important to learn all you can about heart attacks. Don't ignore heart problems. It's a matter of life and death! You should know the warning signs so you can get help right away, either for yourself or someone close to you. Acting quickly can save many, many lives!

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, and no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light headedness.

If you or someone you're with has chest discomfot, especially with one or more of the other sign, don't wait longer than a few minutes before calling for help. Call 911 or get to a hospital right away.

Wheaton Community Hospital and Medical Center is promoting Women's Heart Health by sponsoring a day on Tuesday, February 23th inviting all women of the community to come learn more about heart disease and the risks for women.