Healthbeat: "Secrets of the Heart"

February 15, 2006 (WLS) -- Heart disease kills more women in the United States than any other disease. But it is far too often misdiagnosed or not detected at all.

A recent study found many women are dealing with a hidden heart problem. What was once considered a man's disease has now become just as, if not more, lethal for women.

"They did a chest x-ray, they sent a tech to do an EKG and the tape Showed i was in the midst of a heart attack," said one survivor.

Heart attacks kill six times as many women as breast cancer.

"I had a heart attack on Saturday and I didn't wake up until Tuesday. Realizing I had three days I didn't even remember was the scariest thing," another survivor said.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in American women.

"When I had a heart attack seven years ago there was no one my age, very few women, and I was scared and angry," said another.

These testimonials come from women who never thought they would be speaking personally about heart attacks and heart disease. They meet once a month, with ages ranging from 41 to 77. They call themselves "heart sisters."

The "sisters" are dealing with a so-called man's disease. Together, they formed this special group in Aurora, which is also part of a national support group called "Women Heart," because they say no one else understands.

"I have a wonderful family and friends as my support network. They just didn't get it," said Jodi Knack, heart patient.

Their stories are similar, and they all share a common thread. They never thought it could happen to them, and for many of them, they were misdiagnosed with stomach problems and indigestion -- even as one of them was in the hospital actually having a heart attack.

"For the five hours I laid there being treated for gallbladder. Oh, everyone was shocked, especially me," Knack said.

Eventually, Knack says, an EKG revealed her hidden secret.

Dr. Annabelle Volgman has heard similar stories too many times. She is in charge of the Heart Center for Women at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center. Volgman says there are many problems when it comes to dealing with women and heart disease, the first being conventional testing.

For women who do have chest pain a stress test, or an angiogram, doesn't always work. For instance, a woman's arteries don't get plaque in the same way as men.

"If you do an angiogram in a woman it just looks like they have small blood vessels, but it's really the plaque covering the whole artery and there is no big difference in the way it's jutting out. In men they tend to deposit just in one focal area," said Volgman.

Volgman says an angiogram is still the gold standard, but for high-risk women other testing, including a 64-slice CT scan, may be the way to go. It takes a three-dimensional look at the arteries and can actually present a better view.

Another common problem: symptoms of a heart attack in women may be more subtle. While a man might report crushing chest pain, women are more likely to feel indigestion, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath or cold sweats.

Volgman says women often dismiss symptoms and spend more time worrying about their families than themselves. It is time, she says, to start paying attention.

"You need to know your body," said Volgman. "If something is always there, and it's not going away, it's really uncomfortable, you really need to go to the doctor."

That is also a message the heart sisters want to spread. They want to spare others the trauma they have been through.

"I don't know what happened to my world and it's totally changed. I have, you know, coronary heart disease now," said Sue Meilleur, heart patient.

Volgman says there are two important numbers every woman should know: blood pressure and cholesterol. Both provide signs of whether a woman is at risk of heart disease.

ABC7Chicago.com has a special Healthbeat webcast on this topic. Sylvia Perez was joined by Dr. Volgman for a hour long discussion of viewers' questions.

For more information:

Fox Valley Chapter of Heart Sisters
Jody: (630)499-7078
Cindy: (630) 556-4626

Woman Heart
womenheart.org

Rush University Medical Center
"Heart Center for Women"
312-942-5000

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