Category: Women and heart attacks

– posts here focus on warning signs and symptoms women experience during a cardiac event

The Grinch’s Guide to Women’s Heart Attacks (with apologies to Dr. Seuss)

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 21 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas     ♥    @HeartSisters

(with apologies to Dr. Seuss)

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Chest pain!? This can make women worry a lot,

Yet when women seek help, some are told they should not:

“Your tests all look fine!” (No one quite knows the reason).

“You’re probably just feeling stressed by the season!”

♥

It could be that these tests weren’t researched on them.

(And, really – aren’t women just small little men?)

It could be that Grinch docs think women are lying

Or making up symptoms, without even trying.

Continue reading “The Grinch’s Guide to Women’s Heart Attacks (with apologies to Dr. Seuss)” →

In 2000, only 2 studies published on this mystery heart attack; 10 years later: 300+

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 4 Comments
L:  X-ray of the heart during a contraction in a Takotsubo patient.   R:  Ceramic Japanese Takotsubo pot

by Carolyn Thomas    ♥   @HeartSisters   

Last week, we explored the love affair between researcher Dr. Sian Harding (a leading authority in cardiac science) and the tiny heart muscle cells called cardiomyocytes  that she first met over 40 years ago through the lens of her lab microscope.  Yes, a love affair! – as she writes in her wonderful book, The Exquisite Machine: The New Science of the Heart  published by MIT Press last year, in which she explains simply:

“Once upon a time, I fell in love  – with a cell.”

This week, we’re exploring another chapter of her book, which has the curious title, “Can You (Not) Die of a Broken Heart?”  This chapter looks at a cardiac syndrome that Dr. Harding believes is actually far more widespread than our cardiologists first believed. And for me personally, it’s particularly intriguing during this particular week.        .     Continue reading “In 2000, only 2 studies published on this mystery heart attack; 10 years later: 300+” →

Falling in love – with a tiny heart muscle cell

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 9 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas   ♥  @HeartSisters   

Her book starts off with a gripping description of the human heart:

“When I look at the human heart beating in the chest during surgery, or lying in a dish when removed for transplant, it just looks like a glistening lump of meat. It’s hard to associate that solid muscle with Valentine’s Day decorations, or the romantic literary description of hearts soaring, bursting, sinking and breaking.

“But once upon a time, I fell in love  – with a cell.”

The object of Dr. Sian Harding’s affection was a cardiomyocyte, a single heart muscle cell, just 1/10 of a millimetre long, and about the width of a human hair.       .        Continue reading “Falling in love – with a tiny heart muscle cell” →

Will this $840,000 grant make a dent in women’s cardiac care?

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 4 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas    ♥  @HeartSisters

In an article published this week in the Ottawa Citizen, we learned some encouraging predictions about the future of women’s cardiac care here in Canada – and beyond.  Award-winning health/science journalist Elizabeth Payne explained the news in her August 30th article called “New Ottawa-Based Initiative Aims to Close Heart Health Gender Gap“.  In case you missed it, here’s what she wrote: (The NOTES below in italics are my own questions and comments):

Elizabeth Payne (EP):  “Years after researchers, health professionals and advocates began working to reduce it, the gender gap in women’s heart health persists. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, but their cardiovascular symptoms are still not always recognized and women’s heart attacks continue to get missed.”   Continue reading “Will this $840,000 grant make a dent in women’s cardiac care?” →