We know that a woman’s overall health is closely tied to her cardiovascular health. That is why Montclair Cardiology provides diagnostic support and services to help women establish a healthy lifestyle and take action to protect their hearts. Even healthy women should see a cardiologist. Seeing a cardiologist for a check-up can help you, and your family, avoid being affected by cardiovascular disease. Risk factors are common:

• Mental stress and depression
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Hormonal changes and oral contraceptives

Women need to be proactive Being busy is no excuse for not taking care of your heart. Acting now could save your life. We will help you to get on the right heart track. Symptoms are overlooked: The most common indicators of heart disease in women are often dismissed as minor problems. These are the heart attack signs in women:

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
• As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

If you have one of these signs don’t wait longer than 5 minutes to call 911 and go to nearest hospital.