One in three women has some form of heart disease. It's the number one killer of women. Knowing your risk can help save your life.
Kathy Reid always finds time to exercise. She has to - she had a heart attack more than two and a half years ago… "In the middle of the night, I was awakened by heart burn, and took some Rolaids and went back to bed. The next morning getting ready for work, it came back. This time the antacid didn't take care of it, and it became very intense and it was centered right in my chest.” It was a heart attack, and she almost died. “The last thing I remember,” Reid says, “are the EMT's coming out of the ambulance and my heart stopped at that point - I collapsed and they had to revive me with a defibrillator. They said I was out for about 3 minutes."
Six stents later, Reid never saw it coming. She had no warning signs but her family history should have been – “If I had known that my family history was as extensive, especially being on both sides, I probably would've thought more about it...if not me, my doctor... It would've flagged my doctor because they do ask - if you have family history and stuff."
Now Reid advocates that everyone find out about their family medical history and then tell your doctor about it.
Friday, February 1, 2008 is National Wear Red Day. It's the American Heart Association's campaign to raise awareness about the danger of heart disease. Click on “related links” to find out more about Wear Red Day, and heart disease.
