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The Heart of a Woman
Women, Stress and Heart AttacksAs one local woman discovered, there’s a mind-body link in heart disease Heart of Healthy YouA role model for heart-healthy living—Jayne Onuschak (second from right) quit smoking after suffering a heart attack, and now eats healthier snacks and drinks water, not soda. Several co-workers have followed her lead: (l-r) Charleen Loprete of Easton, Candy Mackov of Palmerton and Judy Gross of Bethlehem.Like many women, Jayne Onuschak lived with stress as a regular part of her workday and her busy life. But one day last October, it proved to be more than her heart could handle. “I was in a very irritated mood when I got to work, and everything was getting to me,” says the 45-year-old Whitehall woman. She went outside to smoke a cigarette and cool off.“When I came back in, it felt like I was suddenly hit by the flu,” she says. “My whole body ached terribly, especially my back and shoulders, but I didn’t know why. I was sweating profusely and then I felt pain radiating down my left arm with tingling in my fingers. I said, ‘Oh my God, I’m having a heart attack.’” Stress can put you at significant risk for a heart attack, especially when it’s combined with smoking or other risk factors, says family physician Aaron Katz, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “In fact,” he says, “many women report some kind of emotional stress just before their heart attack.” When you’re under stress, your blood pressure goes up and your mood plummets. In many women, negative feelings come out as depression rather than anger, but in either case the result is the same—an increased risk for heart disease. When you’re chronically stressed, you’re also more likely to indulge in heart-damaging habits like drinking or smoking. On that day in October, Onuschak told her co-workers to call 911. They already had. An ambulance brought her to Lehigh Valley Hospital—Muhlenberg, where emergency doctors initiated the hospital’s “MI Alert” system (for “myocardial infarction,” the medical term for heart attack). They gave her an immediate EKG to confirm the diagnosis, started her on life-saving medications and called interventional cardiologist Anthony Urbano, M.D. When specialized testing showed that Onuschak had two blocked arteries, Urbano opened them with an angioplasty. “MI Alert ensures we open the blocked artery within 90 minutes of the first reported symptoms,” he says. “The faster you’re treated, the less permanent damage to the heart.” Fast action probably saved Onuschak’s life. As Urbano prepared her for treatment, she suffered ventricular fibrillation, a short-circuit of the heart that stops it from beating. Because she was already at the hospital, doctors revived her immediately and continued with the angioplasty. Today, Onuschak is back at work and has made significant changes in her life, including identifying and eliminating daily stress factors. She also has quit smoking, eats a healthier diet and drinks water throughout the day instead of soda. “I feel better than ever, mentally and physically,” she says. What can you learn from her experience? “Know your risk factors and discuss them with your doctor,” Katz says. (The major heart disease risk factors include obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, smoking and a family history of heart disease.) “Be sure to have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly. And if necessary, make changes to reduce the stress in your life.” Heart Attack Warning Signs in WomenIt took several minutes for Jayne Onuschak to realize she was having a heart attack last October. Instead of the classic symptom of chest pressure, she ached all over, especially in the back and shoulders. That’s not unusual, says interventional cardiologist Anthony Urbano, M.D. Women may have uncomfortable pressure, squeezing sensations or pain in the center of the chest, but often they have other symptoms including:
This page last updated 3/29/08 08:52 PM
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