Q How do women’s heart
disease symptoms differ from
those of men?
A: In women, the symptoms are often
more subtle. Unusual fatigue is a big
one. Others include:
• neck, back, or jaw pain
• pain in shoulders and arms
• nausea
• extreme tiredness
• shortness of breath, with or without
chest pain
• dizziness, lightheadedness, or
fainting
Q Is there a relation between
diabetes and heart disease in
women?
A: Women who have diabetes are at
three times higher risk than average
of developing coronary artery
disease and five times higher risk of
developing heart failure. It is very
important to control diabetes. My
main message to patients is, stop
high-sugar foods, stop high-fructose
corn syrup foods, stop low-fiber foods,
and stop high-fat foods.
Dr. Ellen Urrutia
Q What about
postmenopausal women?
A: After menopause, things shift.
Hypertension, for example: blood
pressure can rise after menopause.
And cholesterol: lipid profiles change
after menopause. HDL (‘good’
cholesterol) tends to drop and then
plateau, while LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol)
tends to rise. Often, people feel fine,
so they don’t pay attention. Since these
risk factors can change, women need
to be more proactive as they age.
stress and depression. To manage
stress, exercise, try biofeedback, talk
to someone, follow a healthy diet,
and take prescribed medications on
schedule. All these measures can help
to decrease stress levels.
Q What else can we do?
A: Lifestyle can protect you. Tips
include:
• don’t smoke
• limit alcohol
• manage your weight
Q How important is exercise? • exercise
A: You need to get 300 minutes of
exercise a week—the equivalent of
one hour, five days a week. Exercise
means getting your heart rate up,
doing resistance exercises. Weight-
bearing exercise can help prevent
osteoporosis. Can’t stand to exercise?
There are lots of chair exercises
available on the web. You can sit and
watch TV while you do them. Exercise
now, so that six months from now you
will feel better, and 10 years from now,
you will not feel bad! • eat healthfully
Q Does stress affect the heart? A: Practice preventive health. You will
feel better physically and mentally.
Start working on these things now,
so you will be healthier decades from
now. It is never too late to undertake
prevention.
A: You can never separate the psyche
from the physical; the connection is
important. Our jobs, relationships,
getting older—all these can cause
stress. It’s important to manage both
• drink sufficient water
• pay attention to your attitude and
how you feel
• get screened for heart disease
• talk with your doctor about
managing personal risk factors, such
as high blood pressure, unhealthy
cholesterol levels, and diabetes
Q What is the most important
thing women should know?
Ellen Urrutia, MD, is a cardiologist with Bart De Gregorio, MD LLC, in
Glen Ridge, and a member of the Englewood Health Physician Network.
To find a physician, call 833-234-2234 or
visit englewoodhealthphysicians.org