Dr. Laura Clapper, Medical Director for CCA Health California, was featured in a Q&A in The Outlook discussing the signs and symptoms of heart disease and tips to mitigate risk. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and risk increases exponentially with age. Preventive care is important, especially for those at increased risk, including people with diabetes and high cholesterol, as well as certain ethnic groups.
Important steps to take include not smoking and sticking to a heart healthy diet. Clapper also suggests avoiding sugary sodas or juices and limiting or omitting alcohol.
Clapper also discussed lesser-known symptoms of a heart attack. Beyond chest pains, women often experience neck, jaw, shoulder, or abdomen pain, shortness of breath, pain in one or both arms, nausea or vomiting, sweating, dizziness, unusual fatigue, or heartburn and indigestion.