Everyone needs to take care of their heart.
“Awareness of heart disease in women has been low. It has always been thought that heart attacks and heart disease primarily affects men, however, that is not the case,” said Joyce Oen-Hsiao, MD a cardiologist at Yale New Haven Hospital.
“Cardiovascular disease (including heart disease and stroke) is the leading cause of death in American women, with one in three deaths being due to cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Oen-Hsiao said. “For these women, most of the deaths are preventable if the risk factors are identified and treated.”
Cardiologists across Yale New Haven Health are doing just that. For example,
Meghana Rao Brito, MD, a cardiologist at L+M Hospital and assistant professor of Cardiovascular Medicine with Yale School of Medicine, actively coaches her patients to try to improve their cardiovascular health.
“I see many women as patients,” Dr. Rao Brito said, “and if you ask most of them what they consider to be their biggest health risk, they usually say breast cancer. In fact, heart disease is number one.”
Signs of heart attack
Signs of heart attack include the most common symptoms, such as chest pain or pain radiating down an arm, often the left arm. However, heart attack symptoms can also feel like gas or heartburn. Symptoms in women are often even more vague, including:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, abdomen and back
- Feeling out of breath
“Any woman who is experiencing these symptoms for no obvious reason should absolutely seek medical help immediately,” Dr. Rao Brito said. “We recommend calling 911, because every second counts when your heart is at stake. The faster you act and get help the better chance that your heart attack can be treated, and we can save your heart muscles from damage.”
Dr. Rao Brito specializes in cardiovascular disease in women as well as cardiovascular imaging, including echocardiography and nuclear medicine. She is involved with expanding the Yale New Haven Women’s Heart and Vascular Program with personalized medical care, including at Yale New Haven Health’s location in Uncasville.
“I chose the field of cardiology because it presents a true opportunity to improve the lives of patients,” Dr. Rao Brito said. “In recent years, we’ve developed a greater understanding of the disease processes behind the ‘number one killer in America,’ and this has given us the ability to prevent as well as treat common pathologies including coronary artery disease, heart failure and arrhythmias. I love building relationships with my patients and seeing how testing, education, treatments and lifestyle changes can really improve lives.”
Tips for better heart health
- Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Avoiding processed foods
- Avoiding foods high in saturated fats
- Checking your blood pressure and cholesterol regularly
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Quitting smoking
- Drinking alcohol only in moderation
- Getting regular exercise, even just walking
- Taking medications as directed
- Working with your care team to assess your risks
Yale New Haven Health specialists in cardiovascular medicine also always strive for an integrated and comprehensive approach to each patient’s care, which means collaborating with experts in behavioral health, diabetes, exercise physiology, gynecology, nutrition, obstetrics, sleep medicine and smoking cessation. This multidisciplinary approach ensures comprehensive and personalized care for every patient.
“We encourage all patients to discuss their cardiovascular health with their primary care providers and to consider seeing a cardiologist if you have a family history of heart disease or heart attack,” Dr. Rao Brito said. “We are here to listen, and we’re here to put the full scope of our health system at your disposal to help in all the ways we can.”
Dr. Oen-Hsiao agreed: “Women can face different cardiovascular challenges throughout their lives, starting even from pregnancy and extending through menopause. Being able to help patients understand, take control, and improve their health to prevent disease is what we aim to do.”
