Heart attacks in young women - not all have chest pain (Canada)

Chest pain is recognized as a symptom of heart troubles, but one out of five women aged 55 years or less having a heart attack do not experience this symptom, according to a study led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. The research findings, gathered from partner institutions across Canada including the University of British Columbia, are the first to describe this phenomenon in young women. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, has implications for emergency room healthcare professionals and for at-risk individuals, as seconds matter when it comes to the accurate diagnosis and treatment of heart attack. "We need to move away from the image of an older man clutching his chest, when we think about acute coronary syndrome (ACS - the umbrella term referring to heart attacks and angina), says senior author of the study, Dr. Louise Pilote, director of the Division of General Internal Medicine at the MUHC and McGill University and professor of medicine at McGill University. "The reality is that chest pain, age and gender are no longer the definers of a heart attack. Our study demonstrates that young people and women who come into the emergency without chest pain, but other telltale ACS symptoms such as weakness, shortness of breath and/or rapid heartbeats, are in crisis. We need to be able to recognize this and adapt to new standard assessments in previously unrecognized groups such as young women."

Sitting a lot raises women's diabetes risk (UK)

Women who sit for long periods daily are more prone to developing type 2 diabetes, but a similar link wasn't found in men, British researchers say. Dr. Thomas Yates of University of Leicester found women who were sedentary for most of the day are at greater risk of exhibiting the early metabolic defects that act as a precursor to developing type 2 diabetes than people who tend to sit less. The team assessed more than 500 men and women of the age of 40 or more about the amount of time spent sitting over the course of a week, helped out by tests on the level of specific chemicals in their bloodstream that are linked to diabetes and metabolic dysfunction. The study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that the women who spent the longest time sitting had higher levels of insulin, as well as higher amounts of C-reactive protein and chemicals released by fatty tissue in the abdomen, leptin and interleukin 6. The researchers said they could not pinpoint why there was a gender difference. "This study provides important new evidence that higher levels of sitting time have a deleterious impact on insulin resistance and chronic low-grade inflammation in women but not men and that this effect is seen regardless of how much exercise is undertaken," Yates said in a statement. "This suggests that women who meet the national recommendations of 30 minutes of exercise a day may still be compromising their health if they are seated for the rest of the day."

Inactivity a greater heart risk than obesity, study finds

Never mind what the bathroom scales are saying and take a brisk walk: That's the message that emerges from a new study that shows that, when it comes to heart health, it's more important to be active than thin. The research, conducted exclusively on women, found that those who were fittest were least likely to have clogged arteries, had the fewest heart attacks and had far fewer risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The same associations did not hold true based on women's weight, or body mass index. (BMI is an approximation of body fat.) "Lack of physical fitness is a stronger risk factor for developing heart disease than being overweight or obese," said Timothy Wessel, a cardiologist at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Fla. He said the link between BMI and heart disease remains unclear, particularly in women. Dr. Wessel said the problem is that most obesity studies have not adequately measured physical activity and many studies of physical fitness have excluded women with known or suspected coronary heart disease. The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was conducted on 906 women who were prescribed a coronary angiography - a test that measures blockages in the arteries of the heart. Practically speaking, that meant many already had a number of risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Smoking increases heart risk more in women than men

Women who start smoking increase their risk of a heart attack by more than men who take up the habit, according to a review of more than 30 years of research. A study of 2.4 million people, published in the Lancet, showed a 25% difference in increased risk. The reasons are unclear, say researchers. The British Heart Foundation said the findings were "alarming" especially as women tended to smoke fewer cigarettes. The World Health Organization lists heart disease as the world's biggest killer, affecting more than seven million people each year

Strokes rise among pregnant women, new moms; obesity, high blood pressure may be reasons

Strokes have spiked in the U.S. among pregnant women and new mothers, probably because more of them are obese and suffering from high blood pressure and heart disease, researchers report. Hospitalizations for pregnancy-related strokes and "mini strokes" jumped from about 4,100 in 1994-95 to around 6,300 in 2006-07, a 54 percent increase, researchers said, extrapolating from figures in a large federal database. "That is a very, very alarm-raising statistic that we need to take extremely seriously," said Dr. Olajide Williams, a neurologist at Columbia University and Harlem Hospital and an American Stroke Association spokesman. "We need to be more aggressive in screening these women for these risk factors." - AP

Heart failure risk lower in women who often eat baked/broiled fish (AHA)

The risk of developing heart failure was lower for postmenopausal women who frequently ate baked or broiled fish, but higher for those who ate more fried fish, in a study reported in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal. In a large-scale analysis, women who ate the most baked/broiled fish (five or more servings/week) had a 30 percent lower risk of heart failure compared to women who seldom ate it (less than one serving/month). Previous research has found that fatty acids (omega-3) in fish - EPA, DHA and ALA - may lower risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing inflammation, resisting oxidative stress and improving blood pressure, cardiac and blood vessel function. This study showed that they type of fish and cooking method may affect heart failure risk. The researchers found that dark fish (salmon, mackerel and bluefish) were associated with a significantly greater risk reduction than either tuna or white fish (sole, snapper and cod). In a similar analysis, eating fried fish was associated with increased heart failure risk. Even one serving a week was associated with a 48 percent higher heart failure risk

Walking increases bloodflow to the brain, study says

Brisk walking can boost blood flow to your brain, according to a new study from the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine in Dallas. A team of researchers, led by Rong Zhang, analyzed data they collected over the course of three months from 16 women aged 60 and older. At the beginning of the study, the researchers used Doppler ultrasonography to measure blood flow in the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood and glucose to the brain. They then created specific work out regimens for each participant, which, depending on their level of fitness, added up to an average of 30 to 50 minutes of walking three to four times a week. At the end of three months, their findings show that blood flow to the brain had increased by 15 percent. "There are many studies that suggest that exercise improves brain function in older adults, but we don't know exactly why the brain improves. Our study indicates it might be tied to an improvement in the supply of blood flow to the brain," Zhang said in a press release. The study also found that, overall, the women's blood pressure decreased by about four percent, their heart rates declined by five percent, and their body's ability to carry and use oxygen during physical activity rose by 13 percent. The researchers presented the study at the Experimental Biology meeting in Washington D.C.

Study suggests lower stroke risk in women who drink at least a cup of coffee a day

"Women who enjoy a daily dose of coffee may like this perk: It might lower their risk of stroke. Women in a Swedish study who drank at least a cup of coffee every day had a 22 to 25 percent lower risk of stroke, compared to those who drank less coffee or none at all. "Coffee drinkers should rejoice," said Dr. Sharonne N. Hayes, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "Coffee is often made out to be potentially bad for your heart. There really hasn't been any study that convincingly said coffee is bad." "If you are drinking coffee now, you may be doing some good and you are likely not doing harm," she added. But Hayes and other doctors say the study shouldn't send non-coffee drinkers running to their local coffee shop. The study doesn't prove that coffee lowers stroke risk, only that coffee drinkers tend to have a lower stroke risk."

Senators Stabenow and Murkowski reintroduce HEART for Women Act (USA)

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have reintroduced legislation to ensure that heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases are more widely recognized and effectively treated in women. The Heart disease Education, Research and Analysis, and Treatment (HEART) for Women Act would make sure that healthcare data reported to the federal government is classified by gender, race and ethnicity. It would also require the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary to submit an annual report to Congress on the quality of and access to care for women with CVD. Additionally, the measure would expand eligibility for funding to all 50 states for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's WISEWOMAN screening program for low-income, underinsured uninsured women. Currently the program is available in only 20 states

Job strain and heart disease risk in women

"Harvard researchers have uncovered strong links between women's job stress and cardiovascular disease. Findings from the Women's Health Study (WHS) - a landmark inquiry into disease prevention involving more than 17,000 female health professionals - show that women whose work is highly stressful have a 40% increased risk of heart disease (including heart attacks and the need for coronary artery surgery), compared with their less stressed colleagues. The results, which were presented at an American Heart Association meeting in 2010, also showed that women who worry about losing their jobs are more likely to have high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels and to be obese. These findings are especially distressing in the current economic climate. The researchers used a definition of "job strain" that combines psychological demand and degree of control. Demand refers to the amount, pace, and difficulty of the work. Control means the ability to make work-related decisions or be creative at work"

Maternal stroke history tied to women’s heart attack risk

If you're a woman and your mother had a stroke, you may have a risk of heart attack in addition to a higher risk of stroke, according to new research on family history and heart disease published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics. In a study of more than 2,200 patients, female heart patients were more likely to have mothers who had suffered a stroke than fathers who did

Women 'in the dark' on heart risk (UK)

"Only one in 10 women aged 50 or older say they have discussed their risk of heart disease during a GP visit, according to a survey. The British Heart Foundation poll of more than 4,000 UK women also found many unaware of the symptoms of a heart attack. It says that both women, and doctors, should be more aware of the threat. While the death toll from heart disease in middle age is lower for women than for men, it still kills more than 40,000 UK women each year. Specialists say that spotting more cases early could make a marked difference to the number of heart attacks and deaths" - BBC

Women with high job strain have 40 percent increased risk of heart disease

Women who report having high job strain have a 40 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries, compared to those with low job strain, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2010. In addition, job insecurity – fear of losing one's job – was associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure, increased cholesterol and excess body weight. However, it'snot directly associated with heart attacks, stroke, invasive heart procedures or cardiovascular death, researchers said. Job strain, a form of psychological stress, is defined as having a demanding job, but little to no decision-making authority or opportunities to use one's creative or individual skills. "Our study indicates that there are both immediate and long-term clinically documented cardiovascular health effects of job strain in women," said Michelle A. Albert, M.D., M.P.H., the study's senior author and associate physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass. "Your job can positively and negatively affect health, making it important to pay attention to the stresses of your job as part of your total health package." Researchers analyzed job strain in 17,415 healthy women who participated in the landmark Women's Health Study. The women were primarily Caucasian health professionals, average age 57 who provided information about heart disease risk factors, job strain and job insecurity. They were followed for more than 10 years to track the development of cardiovascular disease. Researchers used a standard questionnaire to evaluate job strain and job insecurity with statements such as: "My job requires working very fast." "My job requires working very hard." "I am free from competing demands that others make." - EurekAlert

Podcast: Heart attack symptoms in women - are they different?

Mayo Clinic podcast: "Heart attack symptoms in women - are they different from men? The most common symptom of a heart attack in both men and women is some type of pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest. But chest pain isn't always the most severe or even the most prominent symptom in women, and since more women than men die each year of cardiovascular disease, we thought it important to get the facts about heart attack symptoms in women..."

Lack of close ties may increase heart disease risk

Women who live in neighborhoods lacking in close ties are more likely to have coronary artery calcification, a key marker for underlying heart disease, than those who live in more socially cohesive neighborhoods, according to a study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researcher Daniel Kim. Women who lived in the most economically deprived neighborhoods had more than double the odds of underlying heart disease. The study was published online last month in the American Journal of Epidemiology

Women and heart disease: Cardiovascular profile of women in Australia

Cardiovascular disease is Australia's biggest killer. This report focuses on its impact on the health of Australian women - a group who may not be aware of how significant a threat this disease is to them. The report presents the latest data on prevalence, deaths, disability, hospitalisations, services, treatments, risk factors and expenditure, as well as comparisons to other important diseases among women. This report is a useful resource for policy makers, researchers, health professionals and anyone interested in cardiovascular disease in Australian women

Work stress can raise women's heart disease risk

"High pressure jobs like nursing can increase young women's risk of heart disease and younger women appear to be more vulnerable, scientists said. It is already known that having stressful or demanding jobs can lead to higher heart risks but previous research has largely focused on men. In this study, researchers from Denmark assessed the impact of work pressure and degree of personal influence in the workplace on the heart health of more than 12,000 nurses. The nurses were all aged between 45 and 64 in 1993, when they were questioned about daily work pressures and about how much they felt they had control over their work. Their health was then tracked for 15 years using hospital records. The results, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, showed that nurses who said their work pressures were a little too high were 25 percent more likely to develop heart disease as those who said work pressures were manageable and appropriate" - Reuters

Walking associated with lower stroke risk in women

Women who walked two or more hours a week or who usually walked at a brisk pace (3 miles per hour or faster) had a significantly lower risk of stroke than women who didn't walk, according to a large, long-term study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. The risks were lower for total stroke, clot-related (ischemic) stroke and bleeding (hemorrhagic) stroke, researchers said. Compared to women who didn't walk:

* Women who usually walked at a brisk pace had a 37 percent lower risk of any type of stroke and those who walked two or more hours a week had a 30 percent lower risk of any type of stroke.
* Women who typically walked at a brisk pace had a 68 percent lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke and those who walked two or more hours a week had a 57 percent lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
* Women who usually walked at a brisk pace had a 25 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke and those who usually walked more than two hours a week had a 21 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke - both "borderline significant," according to researchers

Pulse may predict heart attack risk: researchers

"In an era of high-tech medical wonders, researchers have found an exquisitely cheap and easy way to predict a woman's risk of a future heart attack: Take her pulse. American researchers who assessed the resting heart rate of nearly 130,000 women and then followed them for an average eight years found those with the highest resting pulse - more than 76 beats per minute - were more likely to suffer a heart attack or die from coronary heart disease than women with the lowest - 62 beats per minute or less. Doctors have known for years that heart rate predicts heart attack risk in men. The higher a man's resting pulse, the greater his risk. According to the Framingham Heart Study, one of the world's longest-running health studies, men with a resting heart rate of 92 beats per minute or more are at increased risk of heart attack and other "coronary events." But, until now, there was no good evidence the same held true for women. The study, published this week in the British Medical Journal, involved 129,135 post-menopausal women with no history of heart problems who were participating in the Women's Health Initiative trial"

Mrs. Chicago educates women on heart health (USA)

From paramedic rigs and lifesaving equipment to tiaras and titles, Danielle Cortes DeVito has done it all with a lifesaving message from the heart. Named Mrs. Chicago 2009, DeVito says it was her 15 years in the emergency medical field - working as a Chicago paramedic and five years at the Cook County Hospital - that opened her eyes to the issue of women and heart disease. "I believe my work with the American Heart Association is important and well worth the effort," says the 35-year-old mother of three and owner/president of Heart Savers & Education, Inc., an approved American Heart Association community training center for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. "Heart disease is the largest single cause of death for American women, accounting for one third of all deaths. Yet it is a statistic unfamiliar to most American women" - Daily Herald