HER HEART MATTERS – RED SHIRT DAY
On Thursday, February 13, we hosted our first-ever Red Shirt Day in support of Her Heart Matters, an initiative hosted by the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance
Over 50 ladies attended the presentation in our Community Cafe where we listened to a presentation by Freya Kelly from the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance, who valuable insights on heart disease , its risks, and self-management strategies. She also covered how women often experience chest pain differently and why they may delay seeking care—whether due to self-assessment, challenges within the healthcare system, or feelings of embarrassment and encouraged us all to trust our instincts, trust our bodies, and go to the hospital if we feel unwell.
Next up, Arisha Mohammed and Amber Engel from Alberta Health Services, led us in a discussion on women’s health, tips for living a balanced life and ended their presentation with a demonstration on mindful breathing to help us relax.
KEY MESSAGES FROM THE WEBINAR
DID YOU KNOW…
- Women are unclear as to what symptoms to look for
- Few women realize it is not possible to determine if they are having a heart attack at home
- Many women are reluctant to go to the emergency because of long wait times
- Many women said if they were not having a heart attack they would feel embarrassed & feel bad about burdening the health care system
IMPACT OF DELAYED CARE OF WOMEN
- Heart disease is understudied and often undiagnosed
- Medical guidelines are based on research on men
- Women face delays in diagnosis because their symptoms are different than men
- These delays mean women often less likely to receive life-saving treatment
DID YOU KNOW…
- Heart attack symptoms are not recognized in 78% of women
- Women with a heart attack are more likely to die than men
- More women die of heart failure than men
- More women die of stroke than men
- Women are
YOU ARE YOUR BIGGEST ADVOCATE
When you go to the emergency you need to be clear what your symptoms are so you get quick, appropriate treatment. Helpful phrases to be used are:
- “I am having chest pain and discomfort in my chest”
- (If presenting with other symptoms) “I am concerned I am having a heart attack”
- “I am concerned I am having the same symptoms as (family/friend) who had a heart attack”
Women’s Heart Health Education Videos
This series of short, educational videos highlight a variety of topics relating to women’s heart and brain health. Each video begins with a woman sharing her personal story followed by an interview with a leading expert. View CWHHA.ca for more details.
