Well, I am back. My mother is doing well and is resting at home now. She had two "stents" put in, though exactly where I am not sure. A stent is like the spring of a pen, they say, and helps to keep the artery open after angioplasty.
Having a heart attack was a shock for my mom, as well as the rest of the family. To look at her, and her lifestyle, you would not think that she was a candidate. She is a healthy weight, probably under-weight if anything, active with the dog and gardening. However, she was a smoker and that contributed more than anything. Smoking shrinks the arteries and capillaries making it easier for them to become clogged. Her penchant for cheese did the rest.
I was surprised to learn a few things. Heart disease is the number one killer in women, accounting for 32% of all deaths. Over 500,000 women die every year due to heart disease and stroke. Women do not have a heart attack like men, it is often more subtle and 40% of the time goes unnoticed. Most heart attacks in women come in the form of some neck pain, nausea, shortness of breath. Over 1/3 of heart attacks go undiagnosed not only by the women having the attack, but their doctor's as well. In my mother's case, her regular doctor initially shrugged it off as a muscle pull. Thank goodness he had the sense to take a blood test where her enzyme levels indicated that she indeed did have a heart attack, and then ordered the ambulance to take her to Boston for further tests.
She needs to make a few lifestyle changes, but she should make a full recovery. Thanks so much for all your well wishing and prayers, it must have worked, that and the terrific staff at Mass General! Here are a few links for my many women readers to browse and contemplate.
Thanks for an informative post alerting women to the risks of cardiovascular disease. I've featured it at my heart health blog - A Hearty Life.
Heart-to-Heart #3: FatBlogger
All the best to your mom for a speedy recovery.
Posted by: Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD | April 09, 2006 at 11:38
I'm so pleased that your mother is on the mend. Thanks for this info and the links! Very helpful.
Posted by: Tonya | April 05, 2006 at 15:57
good info for all of us to know! Thanks for sharing it and glad your mother is doing well.
Posted by: Krista | April 05, 2006 at 01:34
I'm glad that it got diagnosed. I have heard so many stories of heart problems ignored in women. Everyone is aware of the issue with men--but we are supposed to be STRONGER! (HAHA)
Posted by: Margaret | April 04, 2006 at 17:53