Ingalls Health System’s "Hearts in the Right Place" Event Focuses on Women’s Heart Health
“Cardiology is one of our major service lines at Ingalls Health System,” said Kim Garrison, Ingalls Health System Marketing and Communications Manager. “Our goal is to impact women’s health. We want to positively impact it; encourage [women] to be more proactive and an active partner in their own health care. We want them to know their risks for heart disease which is deadly but could be preventable.”
To accomplish those goals and in recognition of Heart Health Month, Ingalls Health System (IHS) is hosting Hearts in the Right Place on Feb. 22 at the South Holland Community Center, 501 E. 170th St., beginning at 11 a.m. with free admission. The forum is designed to educate women about the risk factors and symptoms involving heart disease. The target audience is women ages 40-60 but everyone is encouraged to attend.
Although the perception is that mostly men are affected by heart diseases, women are just as, if not more so, vulnerable to heart disease. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, In 2009, the cause of death in one in four women was related to heart disease issues. In Cook County, through 2008-2010 the age-adjusted annual deaths for women older than 35-years-old by heart disease was 279.7 – 315.3 per 100,000 individuals.
“All women face the threat of heart disease,” explains cardiologist Sabrina Akrami, D.O. “But becoming aware of symptoms and risks unique to women, as well as eating a heart-healthy diet and exercising, can help protect you. Although traditional risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity, other factors seem to play a more prominent role in the development of heart disease in women.”
Heart disease symptoms in women can be different from symptoms in men. Instead of shortness of breath and pains shooting down the left side of the body, women may experience vomiting and nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath, unexplained sweating, back or jaw pain, and flu-like symptoms.
Research shows mental stress and depression seem to affect women's hearts more than men's. And smoking is a greater risk factor for heart disease in women as well. Added to that, low levels of estrogen after menopause heighten a woman’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the smaller blood vessels.
By avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising at least 30 minutes most days of the week, and eating a diet low in fat, sodium and cholesterol can greatly reduce a woman’s risk for heart disease.
Ingalls Health System received a grant to fund the event.
“This particular event is funded by a federal grant and we are one of two organizations in the state of Illinois to receive this grant,” said Garrison. “We were able to apply and successfully be granted by the National Institute of Health and so we want to continue on in the same vein of trying to educate our general population and those who may not be aware of their risk factors.”
In addition to the Hearts in the Right Place event, IHS will have classes that will focus on behaviors, healthy eating, wellness, etc. For more in-depth information about heart health HIS offers classes for a fee. To gauge general wellness and health IHS has a free health risk assessment on its website.
For more information visit http://www.ingalls.org/.
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