Women: Watch for these three common health problems

Let’s admit it ladies. Oftentimes, we put the health of our children, spouses and aging parents before our own well-being. But, it’s just as important for women to stay on top of their own health. Otherwise, how are we going to be able to take care of our loved ones?

There are three top threats to women’s health that we want you to know. Learn how to identify the signs of these conditions, discuss them with your healthcare provider and be proactive about preventing them.

Heart disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both women and men in the U.S. Some risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking and high cholesterol, are the same for women and men. However, women have additional risk factors. These can include anemia, endometriosis, early menopause and high blood pressure after age 65.

“To put this in perspective, about 1 in 29 women annually will die from breast cancer,” says Dr. Karen Hanna, cardiologist with St. Joseph’s/Candler Physician Network - Cardiology Associates of Savannah. “Whereas with heart disease, the number is 1 in about 2.4.”

Uncontrolled heart disease can lead to heart attacks. While both men and women are susceptible to heart attacks, there also are some differences in how they experience them. Men are statistically more likely than women to have a heart attack, but the risk of death is generally higher in women who have heart attacks. Part of the reason for this is that men and women often have different heart attack symptoms, and women sometimes don’t recognize their need for immediate medical attention.

Females typically have a higher frequency of atypical presenting symptoms including:

• Severe or prolonged fatigue
• Difficulty sleeping
• Pain in the left arm, back, jaw or neck
• Indigestion, nausea and vomiting
• Feeling of lightheadedness

“Unfortunately, these non-typical presentations can lead to a delay in diagnosis and appropriate treatment,” Dr. Hanna says. “The disease therefore tends to be more advanced when identified, and the mortality rate is higher for women.”

Related Article: Heart attack symptoms in women can differ than men

Breast cancer

While it’s not the leading cause of death in females, breast cancer is the second-leading cancer-related cause of death (after lung cancer) in women. It’s also among the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women.

One in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. While there are some risk factors for breast cancer you can’t control (family history, ethnicity, for example), you may be able to lower your risk if you:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Limit your alcohol intake
• Get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, each week

And definitely get your annual mammogram. St. Joseph’s/Candler follows the American College of Radiology’s mammography recommendation that women receive mammograms every year starting at age 40. If there’s a family history, your healthcare team may recommend screening even earlier.

“Mammography is the best detection for early breast cancer,” says Pattie Barnes, mammography technologist with St. Joseph’s/Candler. “It’s the standard of care.”

“I know people have that stigma in their mind that it hurts or it’s tender or painful, but we are finding things on mammograms that we never found before,” says Barnes. “We are keeping patients from having huge lumpectomies, and we are finding it before it can spread.”

If you need a mammogram or the next time your annual checkup comes around, St. Joseph’s/Candler has several convenient locations to schedule your 3D mammogram. Find one near you. 

Depression

You may not have seen this condition coming, but women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression as men. Certain factors may increase your risk for depression, such as having a family history of the condition and going through hormonal changes that come with pregnancy and menopause.

Some of the symptoms of depression may include:

• Feeling of sad, hopeless, irritable or anxious
• Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy
• Experiencing changes in weight or appetite
• Having suicidal thoughts

If you think you may be depressed, talk honestly with your healthcare provider about how you’re feeling. Medications and counseling can help.

Looking for a primary care provider or OB/GYN to talk to about your health? Find one in our SJ/C Physician Network.