"Women's Heart Disease Still An Issue"
"Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women, but among hospitals there remains a significant inadequate response to women's cardiovascular disease symptoms.
A study by HealthGrades Inc. in Golden, Colo., a healthcare-quality ratings company, reports many medical professionals are unable to diagnosis women with cardiovascular disease in a timely manner because of symptomatic differences in symptoms between men and women -- a situation that is dangerous to women."
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_25592.html
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"I Hope You Dance".............LeeAnn Womack
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Excellent article, Teri. It really stinks that from 2001 til 2003, there has only been an 11% improvement, since it's so abysmal to start with.
An even more sobering thought it that the stats in the article only reflect the women who are receiving any treatment at all. I wonder how much goes undocumented. (I'm guessing 50%?? - using their stats)
I know that in my own case, with a prior documented heart history, my referral from my clinic to the affiliated teaching hospital has been denied twice (no appeal without a new 'event') and 4.5 months have gone by. I just picked up my medical records today from that clinic and saw the first EKG that they took in early January which was marked 'probable' for ischemia with a large stamp on it to do a repeat EKG. I was not told about this and it was never done - possibly because I was in the hospital 3 weeks later, being treated for chest pain, but discharged with a bogus diagnosis of GERD. If I am having this kind of trouble, I can only imagine what other women are facing in getting appropriate and timely treatment. (in my case, no health insurance)
An even more sobering thought it that the stats in the article only reflect the women who are receiving any treatment at all. I wonder how much goes undocumented. (I'm guessing 50%?? - using their stats)
I know that in my own case, with a prior documented heart history, my referral from my clinic to the affiliated teaching hospital has been denied twice (no appeal without a new 'event') and 4.5 months have gone by. I just picked up my medical records today from that clinic and saw the first EKG that they took in early January which was marked 'probable' for ischemia with a large stamp on it to do a repeat EKG. I was not told about this and it was never done - possibly because I was in the hospital 3 weeks later, being treated for chest pain, but discharged with a bogus diagnosis of GERD. If I am having this kind of trouble, I can only imagine what other women are facing in getting appropriate and timely treatment. (in my case, no health insurance)
Most states do have programs for people who incomes are inbetween folks I have given people in FLorida and also AHA has given me a number for the Fla Shine program to help out if you donot have insurance or yuor income is inbetween. I also have noi insurance and seen at a teaching hospitial for my heart and just love my cardio Doctor and my thyroid doctor and me being a former Medical Assistant Registered and worked in Er and a walk in Clinic for some years and now a Community emergency response Team Member I know their is help out their fo people if only they would call and find out. some people are also ashamed they are in between too and yet also afraid to speak up and say anything and take their doctors word as GOD's word everyone of us is human and fail in some degree even doctors and if you se something worng in medical records please go to the approprait people and ask aaabout it and why their wasnot a follow up I had to do that with 2 echos and a Streess test too. BUt now I am doing ok heart wise except in this heat SOB and I know what to do and I obey my doctors orders for if not donot come back. But people they are programs out their for the uninsurred and I know some in Florida too that do help adn one is the SHINE Program and maybe it is in other states too.
Oona I do hope you will be seen and get your health all back,in order and can feel normal again if any of us know what feeling normal is with our heart disease that is a rare day but my thoughts and prayers go out to yuo.
Heidi
Heidi
Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle
Plato
I am a SURVIVOR :)
Teri 
I learned when I went up to Dc in 2004 that women do account for only a msall fraction of people in trials for we donot speak up and the medical director of FDA Suasan Wood PHD told us the drug comapnies donot use that many women for we donot obey the doctors orders all the way and our bodies are smaller and more complicated than a mens for our homones also affecty us too and we are trying to get more women in clinical trials too but we donot speeak up and as Dr. wood would say how can we complain if we donot speak up to be considered in the clinical trials going on all over the us now a pacemaker the size of a quarter and other things too amazed me but I tend to agree with yuor article and dr Susan Wood head of FDA.
Heidi
LOve ya Girlfriend 
Heidi
Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle
Plato
I am a SURVIVOR :)
"Women’s Health Study Finds Vitamin E Does not Protect Women from Heart Attack, Stroke, or Cancer"
“This landmark trial has given women and their physicians important health information. We can now say that despite their initial promise, vitamin E supplements do not prevent heart attack and stroke. Instead, women should focus on well proven means of heart disease prevention, including leading a healthy lifestyle and controlling risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol,”
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jul2005/nhlbi-05.htm
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"I Hope You Dance".............LeeAnn Womack
Please allow HealingWell to continue helping others by donating:
Thanks Teri sems as I read it then yuo my dear post it for people who donot get the pper or who live elssewhere than the USA who might not hear but it. Keep up the good work girlfriend.
ONly vitmine e i get is in my daily vitamin if I take any extra it makes me stink alot when I swet so I use my daily every other day.
Heidi
Heidi
Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle
Plato
I am a SURVIVOR :)
Is it possible that we could be seeing a pattern? (aspirin, vitamin E, CoQ10, etc)
Seems like anything that the pharmaceutical companies do not hold a patent on is 'studied' and found to be ineffective. I know that I bleed much more freely when I take aspirin, but they recently said that this doesn't work for women.
Remember, it wasn't that long ago that good and bad cholesterol foods were reversed...think egg whites/yolks - that got reversed.....then statins came along. I wonder if statins worked for one type of cholesterol and not the other, hence the 'reversal'? And that was one huge reversal!!! Can we trust any of this?
Oona
Seems like anything that the pharmaceutical companies do not hold a patent on is 'studied' and found to be ineffective. I know that I bleed much more freely when I take aspirin, but they recently said that this doesn't work for women.
Remember, it wasn't that long ago that good and bad cholesterol foods were reversed...think egg whites/yolks - that got reversed.....then statins came along. I wonder if statins worked for one type of cholesterol and not the other, hence the 'reversal'? And that was one huge reversal!!! Can we trust any of this?
Oona
Post Edited (Famulus) : 7/9/2005 1:32:37 PM (GMT-6)
Heidi, I find your blue post much easier to read than the red! Anyone else or just me? Stay safe Heidi even though I hope Dennis goes your way not mine! Sorry! 
Jay
Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time.
T.S Eliot
Hi Everyone!
Jay, you cannot see the post in red? 
Or is blue your color preference? I'm not sure I understand.
Or is blue your color preference? I'm not sure I understand.Oona, yes, you are right, it can be very confusing with all these reports! 
The thing is that I believe we should consider each of these things individually and with our Dr.'s advice as well. Just as one person is allergic to Penicillin, another is not. Re the aspirin reports:
The thing is that I believe we should consider each of these things individually and with our Dr.'s advice as well. Just as one person is allergic to Penicillin, another is not. Re the aspirin reports:They still are not telling all people to do, or expect one certain thing. 
So I guess we just keep reading and learning and trying to make educated guesses, along with our Dr.'s suggestions and hope we are making the best decision for ourselves.
So I guess we just keep reading and learning and trying to make educated guesses, along with our Dr.'s suggestions and hope we are making the best decision for ourselves.Let me know what you think!! Hugs, Teri
Teri, no problemo!!! I'm afraid I will always let you know what I think. ROFL!
Seriously, I believe we must be skeptical, given the money motives on both sides of that fence. I'll agree with your last statement, though. Well put. We must always try to make the best decision for ourselves. If we don't, someone else will.
hugs,
Oona
Post Edited By Moderator (Teri16) : 7/9/2005 7:24:20 PM (GMT-6)
Teri
I always ask my doctors about these findings too if I am on any medicine that is OPTC like I am on 325mg of asprin a day.He hasnot said anything ot me about it not helping me he told me if we can use OTC products that have ben around along long time that our graqndparents used why not us and he doesnot like to prescribe medcine unless it is impertive he does it.
Beach jay I also like red have so many Red ouotfits and red hats too adn I wear red alot when I lecture for AHA and did wear red alot when I was with WH before I stepped down fromWH. Even ur pastor's wife Janet Vines Wife of Dr Jerry Vines told me red is my color. so i have red clothes love red ink but no red room. hey Beach jay you just gave me an idea paint my study a fire engine red and gold rug with a FSU rug on top.
Heidi
Heidi
Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle
Plato
I am a SURVIVOR :)
I didn't mean to hurt anyones feelings! I just have a problem with red posts and I hate to miss Heidis' posts. I am not sure why that would hurt feelings! Heidi, sorry I really didn't me to offend you.
Jay
Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time.
T.S Eliot
No Not offened at all just love the color red.And try to do it so I willnot blend in with the moderators here but I love red and this section is for women and heart disease not to talk about ink colors in posts that can be done under chating for hearts ok gals. Teri is the moderator here so lets abide by the Forum rules and keep this section as medicine for and women Hearts ok.
Signed
The Lady in Red 
Heidi
Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle
Plato
I am a SURVIVOR :)
I may be repeating what has been said here, but I think it's important that they said that unless contraindicated, women with known cardiovascular disease should receive aspirin therapy. I feel similarly to Oona that it seems that pharmaceutical companies deem these simple medications ineffective or harmful quite frequently. It can be a scary proposition to try and figure out who to believe. I guess I have to depend upon my cardiologist and keep on reading to stay informed!
Happy Grandmommy to Amanda, Alayna, Wyatt and Ezekiel
I saw an extremely powerful commerical on tv today about women and heart disease. It starts out with a woman, talking about her sister - how her sister had paid very close attention to her risk of breast cancer because it ran in her family - her sister had never missed a mammogram, and had done this religiously for years - then, you can tell that something went terribly wrong, and the woman's eyes well up with tears - and after a long pause, she says - "I lost my sister - at age 47..........to heart disease." And then a voice-over says "Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women."
Wow. The final message was stunning and totally unexpected in the way it was delivered - and it should do a great job to raise awareness. At least I hope so.
Have any of you seen it?
Wow. The final message was stunning and totally unexpected in the way it was delivered - and it should do a great job to raise awareness. At least I hope so.
Have any of you seen it?
Re meds...don't you just love it when you are waiting for your Dr.'s appt. and you have to wait while he/she is talking to the Pharmaceutical Rep.! 
Oona, wow, what a neat message!! No, I haven't seen the commercial, but I've not seen TV that much lately...I'll have to keep my eyes open for that one!! - Thanks.
No, I haven't seen the commercial, but I've not seen TV that much lately...I'll have to keep my eyes open for that one!! - Thanks.Hugs, Teri
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"I Hope You Dance".............LeeAnn Womack
Please allow HealingWell to continue helping others by donating:
Hi Everyone! I seem to be going down the same path again with my symptoms back--you would think after the last time they would remember huh?? NOT!! I would be so grateful if my symptoms wer just straight forward ya know crushing cp, sob, pain down the left arm etc oh not me I just am sob hardly any cp and perfect stress test!! perfect ekg!! My EF is better than ever! (course I do have a known cardiac history! only 7 stents!)I should think we should learn fromt he past--I am to the pint I just don't care anymore!! I am tired of compalainging to the docs as we keep going in circles, if ya know what I mean!
Good info Teri!!
P.S. this site is easier for me to access if I go to Yahoo first AOL just doesn't let me do it!!
WOW Famulus sounds like a GREAT commercial I haven't seen that one yet!!!
Hi (((Star)))!! It's good to see you again, though I am sorry to hear you continue with this ongoing issue. I've mentioned this to you before, but did you ever ask your Dr. if it's small vessel disease, or arterial spasms causing any of these symptoms??
It's good to see you again, though I am sorry to hear you continue with this ongoing issue. I've mentioned this to you before, but did you ever ask your Dr. if it's small vessel disease, or arterial spasms causing any of these symptoms??And btw, your EF goes down with heart damage and heart failure. That doesn't mean you can't feel badly with a normal EF!!
Star, they don't want to try another cath? Please keep me posted!!
Big Hugs from Texas to you, Teri
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"I Hope You Dance".............LeeAnn Womack
Please allow HealingWell to continue helping others by donating:
Good luck Star with you seing your dr. again all of us going round and round with them it gets to be so frustrating but take deep breaths and it beats the alternative hubby use to say.
Yes famulus (oona) I have seen that commerical it is an eye opener.
You all take care going to do a load of clothes then mop floor when we get back from sons huse and feeding his cats . he is not going their this week.
Heidi
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
But by the moments that take our breath away.
Faith does not lie in trusting God to stop the storm,
But in trusting Him to enable us to walk through the storm.
Heidi
Miss Teri-- YES my cardio has thought all a long I am having spasms but can't seem to get rid of the periodic cp --the sob came back about a month or so ago and seems to be getting a little wose slowly as the days go by if ya know what I mean--I think the Cardizem is contibuting to the sob and I refused to take a higher dose I really want off it so I have to go see my pcp tomorrow go figure-- when I was hospitalized over the Memorial day weekend the cardio that was taking care of me said I needed another cath however, MY cardio is taking a less aggressive approach and started to tell me that he felt he could manage me on an out patient basis- that is why they changed my meds but I have JUST REFUSED to keep taking the second dose of Lasix at 1800 (usually I didn't even get home until after that) I think I am right back where I was last April when they were dragging their feet to do a cath (not that I want a cath) and then when they finally did it I ended up with TWO NEW STENTS--I really don't think there could be much room left in my arteries for more stents
I almost called you today Teri as I was home but I couldn't remember if we had a big time change or not as I am on Eastern time-
I saw that commercial today and it sends a really strong message! It was really sad--