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Luckily, Peña decided to get a
second opinion at the hospital
where she worked; after she’d
spent a night there for further
testing, doctors confirmed that
she had experienced a heart
attack. “If I had gone by the
first doctor’s diagnosis, I
would have gone home not knowing
that it had been a heart
attack,” says Frances. “Early
detection is so important.”
It seems women are not the only
ones who don’t realize the
threat heart disease poses to
them. “There is a glass ceiling
for women,” says Dr. Ismael
Nuño, chief of cardiac surgery
service at Los Angeles County
USC Medical Center. “We’re
missing heart disease in females
during routine exams,” he
explains. “They’re not getting
diagnosed and not being pursued
for testing.”
Nuño advises women to become
advocates for their own health.
“[You] have to be insistent with
the doctor during your visits,
especially if you have a family
history of heart disease, high
blood pressure and diabetes,” he
says.
Latinas also have high rates of
some factors that increase the
risk of developing heart
disease, such as diabetes,
obesity, and physical
inactivity. Nearly 60 percent of
Latinas are physically inactive,
and almost 72 percent of
Mexican-American women over 20
years of age are overweight or
obese. |
Dr. Cristina V. Beato, acting
assistant secretary for health for
the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS), has become a
passionate voice for women’s health
issues. She explains that women’s
lifestyles have become very
sedentary. “Just moving from the
typewriter to the computer over a
ten-year period has added an
additional ten pounds on women,” she
says.
According to Beato, culture also
influences Latina health. “Gordita
in the culture has always meant
healthy, but it’s not” she says. “In
some parts of Latin America, for
example, they even associate gordita
with being wealthy.”
In addition, the prevalence of high
blood pressure for Mexican women
over 20 years old is almost 30
percent. About two-thirds of those
with diabetes die of a heart or
blood vessel disease. “Know your
measurements,” advises Beato. “Know
your weight, your blood pressure and
your cholesterol levels.”
Other factors that affect heart
disease are smoking, postmenopausal
hormonal therapy, stress, depression
and heavy drinking.
Heart disease develops over many
years and affects the blood vessels
of the heart, possibly resulting in
a heart attack, disability and
death.
For Rochelle Rodriguez, a court
reporter in Southern California,
open heart surgery came at age 24.
When she discovered she would need
surgery that could eliminate the
prospects of bearing her own
children, she was shocked. “I’m 23
years old. I’m too young,” she
cried.
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At age two,
doctors had found a leaky
valve in little Rochelle’s
heart, but they dismissed it
as something minor that
wouldn’t affect her. Later,
she became the first
recipient of a new surgical
procedure to repair her
heart valve, hopefully
eliminating the need for
future surgeries. She still
remains on blood thinners
and is motivated by her
experience to stay healthy.
“Sometimes when I’m at the
gym, I think. … I don’t want
to go through that again.”
“Nobody is immune from heart
disease, not young or old,
not male or female,” says
Teresa Rodriguez, the
Spanish-language
representative for the
American Heart Association.
She is best known as the
main co-host and
correspondent for
Univisión’s award-winning
prime-time newsmagazine
program Aqui y Ahora. “Heart
disease doesn’t respect
anyone, and unfortunately,
it took a loss for me to
learn that,” says Rodriguez. |
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Frances Peña |
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Two years ago, her husband died
suddenly from a heart attack at age
51. “He died in my arms,” she says.
“It was a shock and a wake-up call
for many people. He was tall, in
shape and thin.” Her husband’s
unexpected death prompted many
colleagues, both men and women, to
get a physical. They told her, “If
it happened to him, it could happen
to anyone.”
Since Rodriguez, like her husband,
also has a family history of heart
disease, she took immediate action
soon after her husband’s death and
ensured that both of her sons, ages
12 and 17, underwent a thorough
physical exam that included
cardiovascular testing.
Left behind as both a mom and dad
for her children, in the midst of a
hectic work schedule that sometimes
requires long hours and travel,
Rodriguez takes her health even more
seriously now. Despite her long
hours at the network, Rodriguez
prioritizes daily walks — even if
it’s just climbing up and down the
stairs in her office building.
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Teresa Rodriguez |
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In addition,
Rodriguez recognizes the
powerful role Latinas play
in shaping the future health
of their families. “Women
are the ones who determine
what the family will eat, so
instead of cooking with
manteca, use olive oil,” she
suggests. “There are also so
many choices for salt
substitutions. Start on the
path to health now.”
Rodriguez encourages Latinas
to try creative ways to
exercise. “Try to go
outdoors more with your
friends, or, instead of
taking the elevator, take
the stairs. Play kickball or
basketball,” she says. “You
will look better and
healthier.”
Even though
heart disease cannot be
“cured” with surgery, women
can lower their heart
disease risk by as much as
82 percent just by leading a
healthy lifestyle. After her
heart attack, Frances Peña
took action to improve her
health by joining
WomenHeart, a support group
for women living with heart
disease. She still works
long hours at work, but now
she always makes time for
exercise. “I get back late
from work … but I then walk
with my brother and daughter
one mile per day,” she says
proudly. |
“If you’re not going to do it for
yourself, do it for your family,”
Beato urges. “They depend on you.”
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Six Steps to Reduce
Heart Attack Risk
You can reduce your risk
of having a heart attack
— even if you already
have coronary heart
disease (CHD) or have
had a previous heart
attack. The key is to
take steps to prevent or
control your heart
disease risk factors.
· Stop smoking
· Lower high blood
pressure
· Reduce high blood
cholesterol
· Aim for a healthy
weight
· Be physically active
each day
· Manage diabetes
Source: National Heart,
Lung, and Blood
Institute |
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