Haven Go Red For Women!
Did you know 1 in 4 women in Ireland will die of cardiovascular disease?
It could be your wife , your mother , your sister or your daughter… It doesn’t have to be this way
Haven are ready to Go Red for Women this Valentine’s Day to help show our support for women’s heart health and raise vital funds to support the Irish Heart Foundation vital prevention and patient support
programmes and services across Ireland.
Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in Ireland and women are almost six times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than breast cancer. However, 80 per cent of premature death from cardiovascular disease is preventable.
Worryingly heart attack in women is often missed as the symptoms of heart attack in women can be different from that in men. Rather than the classic version of a heart attack where someone is seen clutching their chest, the symptoms of a heart attack in women can be quite vague making it hard to diagnose. They can include nausea, tiredness, shortness of breath, back pain or tightness in the jaw rather than the more familiar scenario of a crushing pain in the chest that shoots down one arm.
One of the most important messages is to advise women, who are experiencing these symptoms, not to delay-call 999 for an ambulance and get to the emergency department immediately. Irish research shows that one of the reasons many women die from heart attack is that they delay in getting to the emergency department.
Understand the symptoms of heart attack in women:
- Chest discomfort: squeezing, uncomfortable pressure or pain in the centre of the chest, that lasts for more than a few minutes.
- Indigestion or gas-like pain, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, vomiting, light-headedness and collapse
- Discomfort and/or pain spreading to other areas of the upper body such as the shoulders, neck, jaw or upper arms
- Shortness of breath, unexplained weakness, particularly in the left arm, or fatigue, anxiety or unusual nervousness.
Not all these symptoms are always present. If only some are present, don’t wait. If you think you are having a heart attack, get help quickly and dial 999.
Factors such as smoking, being overweight or obese, having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, being inactive or having diabetes and a family history of heart problems all increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Speak to your local Pharmacist to get your Blood Pressure tested, they will also offer a personal health and weight loss consultation and you will receive your own Health Screening Card. Your pharmacist will also advise you about the positive and proactive lifestyle changes you can implement to help safeguard your heart health. For example, you can also significantly reduce your risk of Heart Attack by starting your Smoking Cessation plan, and you will be advised on which Nicotine Replacment Therapy (NRT) suits you.
Call in to your local Haven Pharmacy on Friday 14th February and you can help support the Irish Heart Foundation’s work in communities across Ireland, raising awareness of and helping to prevent deaths from cardiovascular disease.
Together will we keep more women’s heart beatings across Ireland!
Here are some photos of our Haven Pharmacies nationwide putting the fun into fundraising:
Information Source: The Irish Heart Foundation
