Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, and Commonwealth Health is committed to raising awareness and encouraging preventive strategies to minimize risk among women. Heart care professionals provide you with information about your risk factors and ways to prevent development or reduce the progression of heart disease. We utilize diagnostic technology and provide a range of treatment and therapies to combat heart disease, including:

• Medications such as statins, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and others.
• Minimally invasive cardiac catheterization techniques, including angioplasty, stent placement, ablation and coronary atherectomy.
• Advanced surgical options, including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), congenital heart disease repair, arrhythmia surgeries, valve repairs and aortic aneurysm surgery.
• Education on heart disease and heart-healthy lifestyle changes.

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women
Although the most common heart attack symptom for both men and women is chest pain or discomfort, women are more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, and back or jaw pain. The most common symptoms of a heart attack include:

• Chest discomfort, which can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. The feeling can either last for more than a few minutes, or can go away and come back.
• Discomfort or pain in other areas of the upper body, such as in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or vomiting, or lightheadedness.

Recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack can help save your life.