FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 4, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 23
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Three heart tips
for women
Th e U.S. Food and Drug Administration
off ers the following advice to women
looking to prioritize their heart health:
A heart-friendly diet
Th anks to food labels, it’s easier than
ever for women to consume heart-healthy
diets. When examining labels, look for
foods that are low in sodium and sugar.
When planning meals, avoid foods that
are high in trans fats.
In 2015, the Food and Drug
Administration ruled that trans fats were
not recognized as safe for use in human
foods and gave manufacturers three years
to remove them from their products. Th e
Cleveland Clinic advises consumers to
check labels for “partially hydrogenated
oils,” which are a hidden source of trans fats.
In addition, the Cleveland Clinic notes that
foods such as cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits,
microwavable breakfast sandwiches, and
many types of crackers contain trans fats.
High-risk conditions
Certain conditions can increase a woman’s
risk for heart disease. While women
may not be able to turn back the clocks
and prevent these conditions from developing,
they can take them for the serious
threat they are and do their best to manage
them.
High blood pressure, diabetes, and high
cholesterol can increase a woman’s risk for
heart disease. Take medications as directed,
monitor blood sugar levels if you
have diabetes, and routinely have your
blood pressure and cholesterol tested to
ensure any preexisting conditions are not
increasing your risk for heart disease.
Aspirin intake
Th e Food and Drug Administration
notes that many physicians prescribe aspirin
to lower patients’ risk of heart disease,
clot-related strokes, and other problems
related to cardiovascular disease.
However, there are risks associated with
long-term aspirin use, and such risks
should be discussed with a physician.
According to the Administration, bleeding
in the stomach, bleeding in the brain,
kidney failure, and certain types of stroke
are some of the potential side eff ects of
long-term aspirin use. Such side eff ects
may never appear, but the risk that they
might makes discussing the pros and cons
of aspirin well worth it.
Women can learn more about heart disease
by visiting www.fda.gov.
Warning signs and
symptoms of heart
attack and stroke
Heart attack and stroke are life-ordeath
emergencies — every second
counts. If you think you or someone
you’re with has any symptoms of heart
attack or stroke, call 911 immediately.
Signs and symptoms
of heart attack
If you have any of these signs, call
9-1-1 and get to a hospital right away.
• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing,
fullness or pain in the center of your
chest. It lasts more than a few minutes
or goes away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both
arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without
chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a
cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
• As with men, women’s most common
heart attack symptom is chest pain or
discomfort.
But women are somewhat more likely
than men to experience some of the
other common symptoms, particularly
shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting
and back or jaw pain.
Symptoms of a heart
attack in women vs. men
Heart attack symptoms can diff er for
men and women, but the most common
symptom for both is chest pain. Women
might also have non-chest pain symptoms
and less obvious warning signs.
Symptoms in women: Chest pain, but
not always; pain or pressure in the lower
chest or upper abdomen; Jaw, neck or
upper back pain; Nausea or vomiting;
shortness of breath; fainting; indigestion;
extreme fatigue
Symptoms in women: Squeezing
chest pressure or pain; jaw, neck or back
pain; nausea or vomiting; Shortness of
breath
— Courtesy of American Heart
Association
/www.fda.gov
/WWW.QNS.COM
/www.fda.gov
