• Heart disease is the number one killer of women.
• Deadly heart attacks are more common in women than in men.
• Women who survive an initial heart attack are more likely to suffer a second heart attack.
• Risk increases during menopause and post-menopause because these phases result in higher levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

Risk Factors

• Cigarette and tobacco smoke
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Lack of exercise
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• High triglyceride levels

Warning Signs

The typical warning signs of a man's heart attack differ from those of a woman's heart attack. Besides chest pain, symptoms can include shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and/or swelling of the ankles, all of which might indicate a heart problem. The warning signs of a stroke often affect only one side of the body and include sudden weakness or numbness of the face/arm/leg, sudden dimness or loss of vision, loss of or trouble with speech, sudden severe headaches, and unexplained dizziness or unsteadiness. Contact your physician if you are worried about your heart health. For urgent medical concerns, seek emergency medical services.

Resources

Oklahoma Heart Institute
Oklahoma Heart Institute (OHI) provides full-service cardiology in Tulsa and throughout the region. The OHI cardiologists and endocrinologists located at Hillcrest Medical Center (HMC) are eager to offer you complete heart care, from prevention and diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation. The main OHI office is located at 1265 South Utica, on the HMC campus. Office hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. OHI doctors are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, please visit the OHI website or contact the center directly by calling 592-0999 or 1-800-733-0999.

Hillcrest Exercise & Lifestyle Programs
The Hillcrest Exercise & Lifestyle Programs (HELP) offers a variety of activities for women of all ages. Specifically, the center has Cardiac Rehabilitation, Smoking Cessation, Stress Management, Weight Management, and Dietary Counseling. In addition, exercise programs such as Wellness & Fitness, Personal Training, Cardiac Aerobics, Yoga, and Tai Chi are available at the HELP center. HELP is located on the 2nd floor of the William H. Bell Heart & Lung Institute building on the Hillcrest Medical Center campus. Hours of operation are 6am- 8pm Mon-Fri and 8am - 1pm Sat. For more information, please call HELP at (918) 579-4959 or visit the HELP web page .