[et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_header admin_label=”Fullwidth Header” title=”The Heart of the Matter” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” header_fullscreen=”off” header_scroll_down=”off” background_url=”http:\/\/cusjc.ca\/catalyst\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/heartdisease-header.jpg” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” content_orientation=”center” image_orientation=”center” custom_button_one=”off” button_one_letter_spacing=”0″ button_one_use_icon=”default” button_one_icon_placement=”right” button_one_on_hover=”on” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ custom_button_two=”off” button_two_letter_spacing=”0″ button_two_use_icon=”default” button_two_icon_placement=”right” button_two_on_hover=”on” button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ title_font_size=”37px” subhead_font_size=”20px” custom_css_main_element=”height: 100vh”]<\/p>\n
By Taylor Barrett<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n On Dec. 23, 2016, actress and author Carrie Fisher, 60, boarded a plane from London to Los Angeles. About 15 minutes before that flight landed, she went into cardiac arrest after she stopped breathing for roughly 10 minutes, according to witnesses on the plane. Prior to that, she showed no other symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n After four days on a ventilator in the intensive care unit, Fisher died.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/cusjc.ca\/catalyst\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/carrie-fisher-heart.jpg” alt=”Actress Carrie Fisher at the Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 3, 2013. Photo by Riccardo Ghilardi.” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Following her death, amidst all the\u00a0tributes to her career,\u00a0a handful of articles were published discussing heart disease in women: what the risks and symptoms are, and how women can protect themselves. There is nothing new about this information.\u00a0Yet the numbers suggest\u00a0the message still isn’t getting through.<\/p>\n According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, women in Canada are 16 per cent more likely than men to die after a heart attack, and about 36 per cent more likely to die of stroke. Like Fisher,\u00a0roughly 64 per cent of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms, according to the U.S.\u00a0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research published this year from the George Institute for Global Health and the University of Sydney in Australia\u00a0found women were significantly less likely to be assessed for heart disease risk factors.\u00a0Most shockingly, heart attacks and strokes kill twice as many women than all cancers combined, according to the World Heart Federation.<\/p>\n In spite of numerous awareness campaigns surrounding women\u2019s heart health\u2014including the Heart and Stroke Foundation\u2019s popular Heart Truth annual fashion show and the American Heart Association\u2019s Go Red for Women campaign\u2014and a\u00a0conference devoted to the\u00a0issue, it appears that\u00a0many\u00a0<\/strong>women who should be screened for symptoms of heart disease are not. It’s a difference they are paying for with their lives.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Greg Killough, project lead for women\u2019s heart health research at the Heart and Stroke Foundation based in Ottawa, says awareness campaigns are\u00a0only part of the story.<\/p>\n \u201cWomen are focused on a number of different health issues, heart disease and stroke being one of them,\u201d Killough said. \u201cWhere there is maybe a disconnect is that women don’t understand that heart disease and stroke are more deadly for them than they are for men.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/cusjc.ca\/catalyst\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/heartdisease-2-1.png” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Women typically have smaller hearts and arteries and higher heart rates. Male hormones enlarge arteries, but female hormones make arteries smaller, which leaves women more prone to blood clots and blockages. Female arteries are also more difficult to repair for the body.<\/p>\n Lisa McDonnell, project manager for the Canadian Women\u2019s Heart Health Centre based at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, has noticed an information gap when it comes to these details.<\/strong> When she and her team were forming the centre, they surveyed Canadian women on beliefs and practices surrounding women\u2019s heart health. On tests marked out of 40, the average score was 15.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t expect women themselves to be that unknowledgeable,\u201d she said. \u201cThere was this huge difference in perception versus reality.\u201d<\/p>\n Another key component surrounding awareness is misperceptions about women\u2019s risk\u2014women fail to recognize their own vulnerabilities surrounding heart health.<\/p>\n \u201cMost of the time I get people saying, well, that’s odd, women are the usually the ones that look after the health of their families,\u201d McDonnell said. \u201cBut it just goes to show they might be able to recognize it in other people but not themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s just not a matter of build it and they will come,\u201d she added. \u201cA lot has to go into not just informing them but there’s that extra step of helping them personalize that risk.\u201d<\/p>\n When women underestimate their heart attack risk\u00a0it can\u00a0lead to\u00a0symptoms of heart disease being\u00a0unrecognized or\u00a0misdiagnosed\u2014particularly because the traditional framework for diagnosing and treating heart attacks is based on the male physiology.<\/p>\n \u201cSeventy per cent of what we know about cardiovascular disease is because the research was conducted in male subjects,\u201d McDonnell said. \u201cOur therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for heart disease and heart health are based on a male model of how it presents.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/cusjc.ca\/catalyst\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/heartdisease-1-1.png” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Heart disease is generally perceived as a man\u2019s illness\u2014one of the largest misconceptions surrounding the disease. Men present with heart disease symptoms seven to 10 years earlier than women do, and by the time women show signs, it becomes more of a grey area because they often have other complications unrelated to heart disease.<\/p>\n In women, heart disease presents atypically compared to the classic Hollywood heart attack: sharp chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and arm pain\u2014illustrated by the late comedian Redd Fox\u2019s famous routine.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video admin_label=”Video” src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=stdi-1tIUhM”] [\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Primarily, women have different types of heart disease that are exclusive to them, and other types of heart disease that present in women more often than men.<\/p>\n Female hearts respond differently to physical and functional changes after heart disease. Generally speaking, women are more likely to suffer strokes and develop heart valve disease than their male counterparts.<\/p>\n Women\u2019s symptoms also differ compared to men. Women tend to present with aches and soreness that can feel like upper back pain, fatigue, shortness of breath and neck or jaw pain. Plus, females with heart attack symptoms will likely have normal results when tested with standard heart attack treatments.<\/p>\n \u201cOftentimes we’ll hear stuff like ‘it felt very much like flu-like symptoms,\u2019\u201d McDonnell said, adding that anywhere from 26 to 54 per cent of women who present with theses symptoms are either discounted or ignored.<\/p>\n On the healthcare provider side, McDonnell said new doctors have a difficult time recognizing atypical symptoms because of the\u00a0standard treatments based on the male body.<\/p>\n \u201cThey’re saying, yeah, well you know, a heart’s a heart,\u201d she said. \u201cWell, no it’s not because women have different types of heart disease that are much more prominent versus what we see in men.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/cusjc.ca\/catalyst\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/heartdisease-3.png” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_testimonial admin_label=”Testimonial” author=”World Heart Association” url_new_window=”off” quote_icon=”on” use_background_color=”on” background_color=”#f5f5f5″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Heart attacks and strokes kill twice as many women than all cancers combined.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n As for the future of women\u2019s heart health, the Canadian government has shown an interest in boosting\u00a0<\/strong>research. The federal budget\u2014announced on March 22\u2014included $5 million given to the Heart and Stroke Foundation over the next five years to support women\u2019s heart health research.<\/p>\n In the last 10 years, more research has been done on women’s heart health in Canada, which started\u00a0<\/strong>when researchers noticed more women were dying of heart disease compared to men\u201430 per cent versus 28 per cent, respectively.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re really looking to grow the knowledge around women and heart health and really foster collaboration and innovation within Canada to further our knowledge and to put that knowledge into practice,\u201d Killough said. \u201cPublic education and awareness is really critical to what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n On the health side, McDonnell said starting a conversation around women\u2019s heart health is the most important step\u201480 per cent of heart disease risk can be managed through health practices and behaviours within an individual’s control.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/cusjc.ca\/catalyst\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/heartdisease-4.png” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” text_font_size_last_edited=”off|” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n As well, women should be aware of their own risk profile on a yearly basis and be willing to advocate for their own treatment. McDonnell says women need to keep tabs on changes in test results, such as blood pressure and cholesterol.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt’s your body, they’re your numbers,\u201d McDonnell said. \u201cMake sure you understand what they are because even the slightest creep up in a number could make a dramatic difference.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_testimonial admin_label=”Testimonial” author=”Lisa McDonnell” job_title=”Project Manager” company_name=”Canadian Women’s Heart Health Institute” url_new_window=”off” quote_icon=”on” use_background_color=”on” background_color=”#f5f5f5″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n \u201cThere’s one thing to treat a patient once they’ve presented themselves to you, but oftentimes that’s too late.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_header admin_label=”Fullwidth Header” title=”The Heart of the Matter” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” header_fullscreen=”off” header_scroll_down=”off” background_url=”http:\/\/cusjc.ca\/catalyst\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/heartdisease-header.jpg” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” content_orientation=”center” image_orientation=”center” custom_button_one=”off” button_one_letter_spacing=”0″ button_one_use_icon=”default” button_one_icon_placement=”right” button_one_on_hover=”on” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ custom_button_two=”off” button_two_letter_spacing=”0″ button_two_use_icon=”default” button_two_icon_placement=”right” button_two_on_hover=”on” button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ title_font_size=”37px” subhead_font_size=”20px” custom_css_main_element=”height: 100vh”] There are plenty of awareness campaigns surrounding women’s heart health, yet statistics still show women are not being properly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"project_category":[135],"project_tag":[39,33,32,36,35,37,34],"class_list":["post-1184","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","project_category-feature","project_tag-canadian-womens-heart-health-centre","project_tag-heart","project_tag-heart-and-stroke-foundation","project_tag-heart-attacks","project_tag-heart-disease","project_tag-stroke","project_tag-womens-heart-health"],"yoast_head":"\nPhysical differences between men and women<\/h3>\n
Women’s symptoms are not all that meets the eye<\/h3>\n
The beat goes on<\/h3>\n