For years, heart disease was considered a man's disease. So many people were surprised when studies showed that cardiovascular disease (CVD) was just as deadly if not more deadly in women.

Now, research has even more unsettling news. Heart disease isn't the same for everyone. Men and women who suffer heart attacks may not experience the same symptoms.

"There are some striking differences between men and women when it comes to heart disease," says Stephen Portz, MD, a cardiologist at Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center. "There has been a lot of publicity about heart disease in men. But women need to know that heart disease a major threat to their health and that it may affect them in a different way."

Just the facts
Here are some disturbing and enlightening statistics on men, women and heart disease:

• Heart disease usually occurs about 10 years later in women than it does in men.
• Each year, CVD kills more women than men.
• Women are more likely to misinterpret heart attack symptoms or attribute them to indigestion or other causes.
• Women are more likely than men to die after a heart attack.

What you can do
Experts hope information about the differences in how CVD affects men and women will serve as a wake-up call for everyone.

"Both men and women should take heart disease seriously," Dr. Portz says. "It's the number one killer in the United States, and eventually we'll all be at risk for heart disease because age is a significant risk factor."

Dr. Portz says people who have CVD risk factors should take aggressive action to lower their risk, and those who aren't currently at risk should work to keep their risk low.

For more information about heart disease, visit www.desertspringshospital.net and click on Health Information in the left column. Under Look It Up on the left side of the next page, click Chronic Conditions and scroll down to Heart Disease.

Are You at Risk?
You may be at risk for cardiovascular disease if you:

• Have diabetes
• Have high blood pressure
• Have high cholesterol
• Are overweight or obese
• Smoke
• Are inactive
• Have a family history of cardiovascular disease
• Are older
• Are a woman past menopause

Don't Wait for Your Risk to Rise
Heart disease takes decades to develop, but it's never too early -- or too late -- to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk. Here's what experts recommend:

• Exercise regularly.
• Eat healthy, low-fat, high-fiber foods.
• Watch your portion size.
• Lose excess weight.
• Stop smoking.
• Look for ways to sneak activity into your day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk to your coworker's office instead of calling on the telephone.
• Control chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesteroland diabetes.

Heart Attack Symptoms Vary
Chest pain is considered a major symptom of heart attack, and it is -- in men. Many men who are having a heart attack experience chest pain and other symptoms, including shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness and cold sweats.

But the National Institutes of Health recently reported that women may have quite different symptoms. For example, women often develop symptoms up to a month before a heart attack strikes. Common symptoms include unusual fatigue, sleep disturbances, shortness of breath, indigestion and anxiety.

In addition, the majority of women don't feel chest pain during a heart attack. Instead they may experience shortness of breath, weakness, unusual fatigue or dizziness.

Women who do develop chest pain say their discomfort comes and goes. They also may experience unusual pain in the neck, shoulder and abdomen.

The Valley Health System c/o Valley Hospital Medical Center 620 Shadow Lane Las Vegas, NV 89106