Symptoms of Heart Attack in Women

A Woman's Heart: Symptoms of Heart Attack

Every year hundreds of thousands of women die as the result of a heart attack or other cardiovascular disease. What many people, including many healthcare professionals, don't realize is that the symptoms of heart attack in women are often different than in men. Women are more likely to experience nausea, dizziness, and anxiety as symptoms that indicate a heart attack.

• Chest pain-may also include back pain and/or deep aching and throbbing in one or both arms.
  
  
• Breathlessness and/or inability to catch your breath when waking up.
  
  
• Clammy sweating.
  
  
• Dizziness--unexplained lightheadedness, possible blackouts.
  
  
• Anxiety--unusual nervousness, feelings of impending doom.
  
  
• Edema--fluid retention and swelling usually of the ankles or lower legs.
  
  
• Fluttering--rapid heartbeats, palpitations.
  
  
• Nausea--gastric upset.
  
  
• Feeling of heaviness, such as pressure-like chest pain between the breasts that may radiate to the left arm or shoulder.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in women and it is the most preventable cause of death. Women should pay particular attention to these symptoms and seek immediate advice from a healthcare professional if these symptoms occur.

The following tips can help lower your risk of heart disease:

• Maintain a regular schedule of aerobic exercise
  
  Eat heart-healthy meals, and if you are overweight, lose weight
  
  
• Drink in moderation--if at all
  
  
• If you smoke--quit!

Urinary Tract Infections

The urinary tract is the body's filtering system for removal of liquid wastes. Because we have a shorter urinary tract, women are especially susceptible to bacteria that may invade the urinary tract and multiply -- resulting in infection known as a urinary tract infection, or UTI.

Although most UTIs are not serious, they can be a painful nuisance. Approximately 50 percent of all women will have at least one UTI in her lifetime with many women having several infections throughout their lifetime. Fortunately, these infections are easily treated with antibiotics. Some women are more prone to recurrent UTIs than others and for them it can be a frustrating battle.

What Causes Urinary Tract Infections?

The most common cause of UTIs are bacteria from the bowel that live on the skin near the rectum or in the vagina, which can spread and enter the urinary tract through the urethra. Once these bacteria enter the urethra, they travel upward, causing infection in the bladder and sometimes other parts of the urinary tract.

Sexual intercourse is a common cause of urinary tract infections because the female anatomy can make women more prone to urinary tract infections. During sexual activity, bacteria in the vaginal area are sometimes massaged into the urethra.

Women who change sexual partners or begin having sexual intercourse more frequently may experience bladder or urinary tract infections more often than women who are celibate or in monogamous relationships. Although it is rare, some women get a urinary tract infection every time they have sex.

Another cause of bladder infections or UTI is waiting too long to urinate. The bladder is a muscle that stretches to hold urine and contracts when the urine is released. Waiting too long past the time you first feel the need to urinate can cause the bladder to stretch beyond its capacity. Over time, this can weaken the bladder muscle. When the bladder is weakened, it may not empty completely and some urine is left in the bladder. This may increase the risk of urinary tract infections or bladder infections.

Other factors that also may increase a woman's risk of developing UTI include pregnancy, having urinary tract infections or bladder infections as a child, menopause, or diabetes.

What Are the Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections?

Symptoms of UTI or bladder infection are not easy to miss and include a strong urge to urinate that cannot be delayed, which is followed by a sharp pain or burning sensation in the urethra when the urine is released. Most often very little urine is released and the urine that is released may be tinged with blood. The urge to urinate recurs quickly and soreness may occur in the lower abdomen, back, or sides.

This cycle may repeat itself frequently during the day or night--most people urinate about six times a day, when the need to urinate occurs more often a bladder infection should be suspected.

When bacteria enter the ureters and spread to the kidneys, symptoms such as back pain, chills, fever, nausea, and vomiting may occur, as well as the previous symptoms of lower urinary tract infection.

Proper diagnosis is vital since these symptoms also can be caused by other problems such as infections of the vagina or vulva. Only your physician can make the distinction and make a correct diagnosis.

How Is a Diagnosis of UTI Made?

The number of bacteria and white blood cells in a urine sample is the basis for diagnosing urinary tract infections. Urine is examined under a microscope and cultured in a substance that promotes the growth of bacteria. A pelvic exam also may be necessary.

Note: If you have recurrent UTIs and bladder infections, you may be interested in purchasing an at-home test for UTI, which is available over-the-counter (OTC) without a prescription. The test consists of a dipstick that changes color when you have a urinary tract infection. The test detects the presence of nitrite. Bacteria changes normal nitrates in the urine to nitrite. The test, which works best on first morning urine, is about 90% reliable.

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

You can tell if you’re drinking enough water by keeping an eye on the color of your urine. If your urine is clear or light yellow and of good quantity, then you’re drinking a sufficient amount of water. On the other hand, if your urine is dark yellow and of a modest amount, you need to start drinking more water to avoid dehydration.

The basic rule is: You should drink 8 – 8 ounce glasses of water daily. That is one-half gallon of water consumption per day. You can do it!