WOMEN AND HEART DISEASE

True or False? Heart disease is a leading killer of Australian women TRUE Almost three times as many women die of heart disease than of breast cancer

EVERY day in Australia 22 women lose their life to heart disease

True or False? Only around half of women know that heart disease is their leading killer FALSE Less than 4 in 10 women know that heart disease is their leading killer

Why? Media depictions of heart disease Women’s other health concerns

True or False? Women are more likely to have discussed heart disease with their GP than men FALSE Women aged 30-65 are less likely to have spoken to their GP about heart disease than men (23% v 31%) and less likely to have a heart health check (28% v 41%)

Risk Factors We Can’t Change Increasing age Family history Gender Pregnancy history

Risk Factors We Can Change Lifestyle Smoking Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour Poor diet Weight gain Harmful use of alcohol Depression, social isolation, lack of social support

Risk Factors We Can Manage Clinical High blood cholesterol Poorly controlled diabetes High blood pressure

True or False? A heart attack always involves some kind of chest pain FALSE Not all women who have a heart attack will experience chest pain Women are more likely to experience other symptoms including fatigue, nausea, arm pain, jaw pain, sweating, or an overwhelming sense ‘something is not right’ If symptoms persist for 10 minutes or more, take action - too many women delay

Warning Signs For Women

Our Hearts A muscle which pumps blood to all parts of the body delivering oxygen and nutrients via the blood vessels The heart needs its own blood supply – 24/7 !

Heart Attack A narrowed coronary artery is suddenly blocked by a blood clot Blood supply (oxygen) to the heart is cut off - heart muscle begins to die

A Heart Attack is an Emergency Getting to hospital quickly can reduce damage to the heart and increase chances of survival

Action Plan

True or False? Heart health is not an important issue for younger women FALSE Risk factors start accumulating in our 20s Smoking and use of the oral contraceptive pill can increase blood clots and the risk of heart disease and stroke in some people with a family history 3-5% of pregnancies may involve vascular complications that lead to increased risk Women with congenital disease are now surviving to adulthood

Heart Health and Pregnancy Pregnancy is often called the ‘ultimate stress test’ for the heart It increases the load on the heart by 30-50% Women with pre-existing heart conditions or those with risk factors like high blood pressure or obesity should have their heart health monitored throughout pregnancy and in the years that follow

True or False? Women who have had vascular complications in pregnancy are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life TRUE Women who have had pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension are at an increased risk of hypertension and heart disease later in life 10 to 15 years later their risk of heart disease is double and hypertension four times greater than women who did not experience these conditions in pregnancy

Heart Health Beyond Pregnancy Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy affect 5-10% of pregnancies worldwide. In Australia, up to 30,000 women each year can develop high blood pressure in pregnancy 10-15% of pregnant women in Australia will develop gestational diabetes which is associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes The Relative Risk of chronic hypertension is four times and ischaemic heart disease twice that of women who did not experience preeclampsia or gestational hypertension in pregnancy Women who had preeclampsia during pregnancy have approximately double the risk of developing heart disease and stroke over the next 5 to 15 years

Congenital Heart Disease More girls with congenital heart disease are surviving to adulthood This raises new issues regarding conception, contraception and relationships Most can be managed but it does mean extra care in pregnancy planning and monitoring Greater liaison between cardiologists and obstetricians is required

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) Although rare, SCAD is a condition that occurs more frequently in women, around 20% of acute cardiac events in women under 60 are attributed to SCAD It occurs when a split suddenly develops between the inner layers of a coronary artery. Blood flows into this space and reduces the amount of blood flowing through the artery, causing a heart attack Symptoms are similar to those of a heart attack or angina Most people who suffer from SCAD have few or no known risk factors and the cause is poorly understood Knowing the warning signs of a heart attack and getting treatment as quickly as possible are important for women of all ages Every SCAD patient should be referred to a cardiac rehabilitation program to start them on the road to recovery

True or False? Women are just as likely as men to attend cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack FALSE Annual surveys of heart attack survivors indicates that women are less likely to be referred to cardiac rehabilitation and less likely to complete the program when enrolled Cardiac rehabilitation can save lives and money - research shows it leads to improved patient outcomes, including fewer deaths and hospital re-admissions

Action You Can Take Have a Heart Health Check Knowing your risk is the first step to helping avoid heart disease Don’t wait for chest pain; it could be too late – get the vital tests you need by visiting your doctor for a heart health check Know your numbers - blood cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugars, waist circumference Discuss your pregnancy history

Action You Can Take 2. Know the Warning Signs Heart attacks are not always what you think The sooner you dial 000 (Triple Zero) for an ambulance, the sooner treatment starts Generally women have fewer heart attacks than men but when they do, their outcomes are often worse …. especially among younger women

Action You Can Take 3. Share this message with three women you know Raise it next time you get together Personally share our messages through your social media networks Make your heart visible by drawing a heart on your hand or another part of your body and share the photo using #womenshearts

Listen to Women’s Stories About Living With Heart Disease

Learn More at invisiblevisible.org.au or call 13 11 12