Newtown’s Dr Kramer Talks Women’s Heart Health

While many people associate heart disease more with men than women, Harvey Kramer, MD, director of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Danbury Hospital, presented important information dispelling this perception during an April 8 program for the community at Masonicare at Newtown.

Calling cardiovascular disease the scourge of Western society, even for women, Dr Kramer stated, “There are 460,000 women’s deaths from heart disease each year, about one a minute, and one in three women has some form of cardiovascular disease.” 

Among women, cancer is perceived as the number one health problem, but coronary artery disease and stroke are by far and away the highest mortality rates — not cancer. Dr Kramer reported, “Women don’t often know their own risk factors for heart disease.” 

Dr Kramer’s presentation addressed heart attacks and stated “signs for heart attacks are different for women than men. Women are more likely to have additional warning signs including back pain, abdominal pain, jaw pain, shortness of breath for no reason, and nausea and vomiting.” 

His advice is “listen to your body” as women often seek care later than men. 

With heart disease, there are risk factors that one cannot change, he said — one’s age, gender and hereditary factors which include diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol that run in families. 

Some risk factors can be modified, however. These include smoking, obesity, stress and inactivity. Dr Kramer encouraged those in attendance to “know your risk factors.  The higher your risk, the more aggressive your risk modification should be and know your risk factor goals.” 

He encouraged changes in lifestyles as a way to improve one’s heart health. 

“Quit smoking, be active, and eat healthy,” Dr Kramer said. He recommended exercising at least two hours a week and eating fish two to three times a week.