Did you know that men and women experience different symptoms when having a heart attack?
Men normally feel pain and numbness in the left side of the chest or in their left arm, whereas women may feel pain on the right side. Women may feel completely exhausted, drained, dizzy, or nauseous. They may also feel upper back pain that travels up to their jaw. Many women tend to think that their stomach pain is the flu, heartburn or ulcer but that is sometimes not the case.
Knowing the early symptoms of a heart attack is critical because 85% of heart damage occurs within the first two hours of a heart attack.
St. Cloud Regional Medical Center is growing and evolving in the community and in honor of Women’s Heart Awareness Month they partnered with Osceola Woman Magazine to hold their 2nd Annual Women’s Heart to Heart Luncheon on February 20, 2019, at the Royal St. Cloud Golf Links. This luncheon was designed to bring women together and educate them on heart disease and how they can prevent it.
“St. Cloud Regional Medical Center is one of the Health Care Leaders in Osceola County, so we feel it’s our responsibility to educate our community members on their heart health, which is why we partnered with Osceola Woman Magazine to put on this event.”
– Lisa Mitchell, St. Cloud Regional Medical Center Marketing Director
Guest speaker, Dr. Mariaah Williams, M.D. Board Certified, Family Medicine from St. Cloud Medical Group spoke about the risk factors that can lead to a possible heart attack. Those some of those risks include high blood pressure, using tobacco products, a family history of cardiovascular disease, chest pain/pressure/burning/or tightness that may come and go and being overweight. For women it can also include birth controls pills a history of pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes or having a low birth weight baby. Dr. Williams explained that 1 in 3 women die from heart disease and expressed why it is so important to see your doctor regularly and live a healthy lifestyle. Learn the early signs and symptoms, don’t ignore the warning signs.
Guests had the opportunity to receive a free health screening, bid on silent auction items and enjoy the company of one another while learning more on the prevention of heart disease. During lunch a special fashion show took place with models who have overcome heart disease themselves, modeling pieces from local businesses. The very popular Hottest Fireman Contest was a hit thanks to the St. Cloud Firefighters who participated.
A heartfelt thank you to St. Cloud Regional Medical Center, Osceola Woman Magazine, and to Dr. Mariaah Williams M.D. for educating others and for putting together such an amazing event.
