According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease is the number one killer of women and men in the United States. A 2009 survey by the American Heart Association indicates that a woman in the United States suffers a heart attack every minute.
In fact, women are twice as likely as men to experience nausea, vomiting, or indigestion during their heart attack. Because many women are unaware of the symptoms of a heart attack, they do not react properly and seek immediate help. Women are also more likely than men to have other conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and congestive heart failure and, therefore, the need for timely medical response becomes even more crucial.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Women’s Health has created a national public education campaign, “Make the Call. Don’t Miss a Beat” to educate women and their families about heart attack symptoms.
Symptoms include:
- Unusually heavy pressure on the chest
- Sharp upper body pain in the neck, back, and jaw
- Severe shortness of breath
- Cold sweats
- Unusual or unexplained fatigue (tiredness)
- Unfamiliar dizziness or light-headedness
- Unexplained nausea (feeling sick to the stomach) or vomiting
For more information about womens health, visit www.womenshealth.gov/heartattack.
Littman Krooks LLP offers legal services in several areas of law, including elder law, estate planning, veterans’ benefits, special needs planning, special education advocacy, and corporate and securities. The firm’s offices are located at 399 Knollwood Road, White Plains, New York; 655 Third Avenue, New York, New York; and 300 Westage Business Center Drive, Fishkill, New York. For more information about Littman Krooks LLP, visit www.littmankrooks.com.
