2. WOMEN AND HEART DISEASE

3. 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

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

5. 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

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

7. True or False?
Women are more likely to have discussed heart disease with their GP than men
FALSE
Women aged 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%)

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

9. 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

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

11. 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

12. Warning Signs For Women

13. 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 !

14. 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

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

16. Action Plan

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. Listen to Women’s Stories About Living With Heart Disease

28. Learn More at
invisiblevisible.org.au
or call