Tips and strategies for women to take charge of their heart health — and ensure the best outcome should a heart attack occur

Know your risk

Existing conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, as well as smoking or being overweight or obese can increase your risk of heart disease. Every woman, regardless of her age, should have an annual checkup with a primary care physician and ask for a full report on her heart health, including blood pressure, cholesterol, blood-sugar level, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.

Pinpoint symptoms

The warning signs of heart attacks are different for women than in men. While pain, tightness and pressure in the chest are hallmarks of a man’s heart attack, women are statistically more likely to experience a slew of other symptoms, including numbness in the jaw and arms, neck and back pain, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, severe fatigue, headache and the sensation of indigestion.

Speak up

Describe all of your symptoms in great detail to your doctor, and don’t be afraid to be direct. It is not silly or foolish to say, “I think I have the symptoms of a heart attack.” If the physician shoots down the possibility of this diagnosis without conducting any tests, ask him or her how he or she knows for certain that you’re not having a heart attack, advises cardiologist Harmony Reynolds.

Request these tests

Emergency tests are not always accurate, but they are helpful. After checking heart rate and blood pressure, the goldstandard basic tests in an ER include an electrocardiogram (EKG) and blood work to measure certain biomarkers that may indicate heart failure, including heart-muscle death, which occurs when blood flow is restricted during a heart attack.

Practice prevention

The CDC recommends 150 minutes a week of moderateintensity exercise, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity. Cardiologists also recommend patients adhere to the Mediterranean diet, which includes plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts and seeds, fish and healthy fats such as olive oil and avocados.