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factors were taken into consideration, Jessica said more women can be diagnosed and treated sooner.

Reduce Your Risk

Bailey urges women to talk with their primary care providers about their risks, to ask if they should be screened for diabetes, and to have regular blood pressure checks.

“ Routine lab work, including checking your cholesterol can also be very helpful,” she said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, recommends getting 150 minutes each week of physical activity to reduce the risk. Jessica said a healthy diet and managing stress levels can also help reduce the risk, acknowledging that

it can be easier said than done.

Bailey stressed that early referrals are key but that can be difficult with women.“ There isn’ t always going to be an easy tip-off that would indicate a deeper problem or those classic symptoms you see with men.”

“ We are caregivers,” she reiterated,“ but we have to take care of ourselves.”

After menopause, Bailey said the risk of developing heart disease is greater. Cholesterol levels can increase.“ There can be a hereditary component to that too,” she said.

One interesting statistic offered by Bailey is the staggering number of women who do not realize heart disease is their number one killer— nearly 60

percent.

As September Ended

After Popplewell’ s first heart attack, she said she thought she had better slow down.

“ But you think I did?” she asked.“ No, it was back to work as usual.” She said over the course of the next several weeks she thought she was fine.“ I worked. I spent time with my grandkids, went to church, everything I had always done.” She had her second stent procedure in July, thinking she was“ good to go.”

Thursday, September 25 is a date Pam said will forever be burned into her memory. She had gotten up at 6:30 a. m. to start her day.

" I woke up to this really awful pressure,

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