EVERY day about 30 Australian women die from heart disease, making it the nation’s number one killer of women, according to the Heart Foundation.

Heart Foundation: Go Red for Women

With nearly 11,000 of the nation’s women succumbing to heart disease in 2006, it is remarkable that many Australians still believe heart disease affects mainly older men.

“It is still widely believed that heart disease is typically an old man’s disease. In fact, only 3 percent of Australians are aware that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women,” Heart Foundation chief executive Maurice Swanson said.

As an antidote to the silence, the organisation is using Friday, June 13 to build awareness by celebrating Go Red for Women Day, with events being held across the country.

“Women are often too busy thinking about the health of their partners or family that they neglect their own,” Swanson said.

“The Heart Foundation Go Red for Women campaign will help women understand their risks of heart disease so that they can take the appropriate action and help us raise vital funds for this health issue.”

The disease is responsible for 17% of all deaths in Australian women, with smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, high blood pressure and cholesterol all contributing to the risk of developing the disease, according to the Heart Foundation.

Women and men can reduce the risk of developing the disease by having regular health check-ups, quitting smoking, eating healthily, getting at least 30 minutes exercise daily and frequently checking cholesterol, blood pressure and weight to ensure they are within the healthy range.

Despite being a regular binge drinker and smoking heavily, Leonie Fryer was within her healthy weight range, very fit, a woman, and only 40 when she had a heart attack, she told the Heart Foundation.

“I was actually misdiagnosed at the time, because not even the doctors thought my pain was heart-related – I was told it might be reflux or a virus,” Fryer claimed.

Fryer was with her husband Gary the night her painful symptoms began to show.

“It was on a Sunday night, after another weekend of heavy drinking and smoking – Gary took me to a 24-hour medical clinic and I was diagnosed with reflux,” she said.

“Because I was a size eight, slim and fit girl, no one considered that I had a heart condition.”

However, the pain intensified over the following days and her doctor finally ordered an ECG. Fryer was referred to a cardiologist as soon as her GP saw the results.

“Two of the main arteries were blocked – one by 90 percent, one by 99 percent,” she said.

The cardiologist admitted Fryer to hospital and operated the same day, she said.

“I had an angioplasty – a balloon threaded through the artery to push against the artery wall to open and clear blockages, and a stent is inserted into each to keep them open,” Fryer said.

Despite the surgery, she had already caused severe damage to her heart, increasing her chances of having another attack.

“Unfortunately, I also naturally have very high cholesterol levels, so I am on medication for that. I am exercising moderately and still eating well,” she said.

“But I haven’t had a cigarette since. And if I wasn’t doing all those positive things by now, I don’t think I’d be here.

“It is ironic, but it was actually the best thing that happened to me. It’s made me take stock of what is important … and that is not working around the clock and trying to get ahead.”

The disease also struck Trisha Langridge, a 46-year-old school teacher, and a healthy non-smoker. She also had normal cholesterol levels and exercised regularly, the Heart Foundation reported.

Despite this, while playing netball with her students, she suffered a heart attack.

“As I came off the court, for about 10 seconds I had a crushing pain in my chest and then a shocking pain in my back,” Langridge said.

“When I got to the staff room it was so bad my teacher’s assistant called my physio. In the meantime, I was dizzy, clammy and apparently very pale.

“Fortunately, one of the girls had experience with heart attacks as her husband had had one, so an ambulance was called.”

Langridge was lucky that someone recognised the symptoms and called for appropriate help.

She survived the heart attack but has had to make significant lifestyle changes, as the attack left her with reduced stamina. She now works less and is very careful about her diet.

“The perception is that this only happens to older women – even I thought heart attacks didn’t happen to women in their 40s,” she said.

These women were the lucky ones – they received help at a crucial time.

Heart attack warning signs to be aware of include: tightness, fullness, pressure, squeezing, heaviness or pain in your chest, neck, jaw, throat, shoulders, arms, and/or back.

In addition, difficulty breathing, breaking out in a cold sweat, vomiting and nausea, and feeling light-headed and dizzy may also manifest, according to the Heart Foundation.

If someone is experiencing these symptoms, they need to cease activity immediately and rest, inform someone of their symptoms and call triple zero for an ambulance. The emergency operator will also give advice on what to do while waiting for help.

To attend an event or find out how to hold your own Go Red for Women event call 1300 55 02 82 or visit http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/goredforwomen

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