Miami Woman Talks About Her Silent Heart Attack

Most women don't experience chest pain.

Judy Anton is a heart attack survivor.

“Part of my heart is dead and I have survived to tell the story,” she said on Monday.

At Mount Sinai Medical Center, Anton joined another heart disease survivor and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz for a news conference on women’s heart disease.

“Between 6 to 9 percent of all U.S. women are living with coronary heart disease, and two-thirds who suddenly die had not previous symptoms,” said Wasserman Schultz.

Anton was a principal at a Miami-Dade County public middle school when she suffered what’s called a silent heart attack.

“I had previous symptoms which none of my doctors diagnosed as heart-related. In fact, I had my gall bladder out because I had a pain in my back," she said.

This is not surprising to Mount Sinai cardiologist Dr. Gervasio Lamas.

“I’ve taken care of a number of women who really just don’t have chest pain but have something other. They’ll have abdominal pain. They’ll have back pain. They’re sweaty, they just don’t feel well,” said Lamas.

Anton was on a treadmill for a cardiac stress test when her doctor saw signs of trouble.

“They had me get off the treadmill and the doctor said you have had a heart attack and you have blockages,” said Anton.

Here are some surprising statistics: 435,000 women in the U.S. will have a heart attack this year, 83,000 will be under age 65. Risk of death in the first year is twice as high compared to men.

Elizabeth Cooper, 40, told a different story.

“I was born with a congenital heart defect knows as aortic stenosis. I have undergone four       open-heart surgeries,” she said.

After getting a new valve and an implanted defibrillator, this mother of two has returned to a fully active life that includes snow skiing.

Whether they have heart disease or not, all women are urged to know your numbers: blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar.
  

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