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"I never thought I would have a heart attack," said Jane Parsons. Suddenly feeling clammy while shopping with a friend, Jane, who was a borderline diabetic, thought a glass of orange juice would take care of her symptoms. Still not feeling well, she went shopping the next morning. Leading an active and busy lifestyle, Jane didn't have time to worry.
According to the American Heart Association, 40 percent of all female deaths in the US occur from cardiovascular disease, yet the myth persists that women need not be concerned about heart attack risks.
"When I learned of her symptoms, I was very concerned," said Allen Criss, MD, cardiologist at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital and Jane's primary care physician, who told her to get to the ER quickly. "Heart disease runs in Jane's family and she had other risk factors, including diabetes."
With the most comprehensive cardiac testing available, emergency physicians proved that what Jane thought was low blood sugar or the flu was actually a heart attack. After treatment, Jane went home ready to take better care of herself. However, down the road a few years, even with constant monitoring, Jane developed a headache that went down through her jaw, shoulders, and chest: she was having another heart attack.
At the hospital after immediate treatment with nitroglycerin and clot-busting medications, cardiac catheterization identified three blocked arteries. Jane's cardiovascular disease had progressed and open-heart surgery was the only answer. Jane was immediately transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital for surgery.
"Although more men than women develop heart disease, its presence tends to be less clear cut and its effects tend to be more severe for women," Dr. Criss said." Like a lot of other women, Jane didn't initially recognize her symptoms as being heart related."
Dr. Criss said, "Women need to be aware that heart disease is as real for women as it is for men, and they should know their risk factors. Jane's story is a lesson for all women."
"I owe my life to Dr. Criss and Melrose-Wakefield," Parsons said. "I never thought I could have a heart attack. I was more worried about my husband having a heart attack. Lucky for me, my physician was worrying about my heart and with the help of the cardiac team at Melrose-Wakefield, I'm back to living my life the best way I know how!"
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