1. About 210 people die from heart disease every day in South Africa and the figure is rising. One in four women will have a heart condition before 60; menopause increases the risk threefold.
2. Heart attack symptoms in women may not be the typical tightness or chest pain; expect an uneasy feeling in the chest, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and/or swollen feet.
3. Smoking, alcohol, obesity, unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyles heighten the risk; reduce the risk by maintaining healthy weight, limiting salt and alcohol, and reducing stress.
Source: The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA.
