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| Heart disease: Women at higher risk of misdiagnosis | Heart disease: Women at higher risk of misdiagnosis |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
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| Mandy Swift has had three heart attacks and is raising awareness of heart attack symptoms | |
| A woman has resorted to teaching her five-year-old son to use FaceTime over fears his grandmother will have a fourth heart attack. | A woman has resorted to teaching her five-year-old son to use FaceTime over fears his grandmother will have a fourth heart attack. |
| Mandy Swift, 56, has had three heart attacks and now her daughter Vicki is teaching son Gethin to raise the alarm if she is ill. | Mandy Swift, 56, has had three heart attacks and now her daughter Vicki is teaching son Gethin to raise the alarm if she is ill. |
| They want to improve women's awareness of the symptoms of a heart attack. | They want to improve women's awareness of the symptoms of a heart attack. |
| The British Heart Foundation Cymru said women were not seen as being at risk and were often misdiagnosed. | The British Heart Foundation Cymru said women were not seen as being at risk and were often misdiagnosed. |
| The Welsh government said it was working to improve care. | The Welsh government said it was working to improve care. |
| Mandy was living abroad when she had her first two heart attacks and had a third after moving to Denbighshire to be close to her family. | Mandy was living abroad when she had her first two heart attacks and had a third after moving to Denbighshire to be close to her family. |
| Vicki, from Rhyl, fears her mother could have a heart attack while she is looking after Gethin. | Vicki, from Rhyl, fears her mother could have a heart attack while she is looking after Gethin. |
| What can cause a cardiac arrest? | What can cause a cardiac arrest? |
| How to perform basic CPR on an adult | How to perform basic CPR on an adult |
| Gabby Logan's heart screen call to honour brother | Gabby Logan's heart screen call to honour brother |
| "Every day on my way to work I give my mum a ring and if she doesn't answer I panic," said Vicki, whose father suffered a fatal heart attack aged 42. | "Every day on my way to work I give my mum a ring and if she doesn't answer I panic," said Vicki, whose father suffered a fatal heart attack aged 42. |
| "When I look at my mum and her quality of life - she struggles to go out. As much as I love her, I don't want that for me." | "When I look at my mum and her quality of life - she struggles to go out. As much as I love her, I don't want that for me." |
| Now, aged 37, she has joined a gym to improve her own prospects. | Now, aged 37, she has joined a gym to improve her own prospects. |
| "When I was pregnant I had gestational diabetes," she said, explaining that increases her chances of developing diabetes, and in turn heart problems. | "When I was pregnant I had gestational diabetes," she said, explaining that increases her chances of developing diabetes, and in turn heart problems. |
| "I got myself a personal trainer and I've lost three stone up to now, and am no longer in that pre-diabetic range." | "I got myself a personal trainer and I've lost three stone up to now, and am no longer in that pre-diabetic range." |
| She wants to improve women's awareness of the symptoms of a heart attack, as well as their increased risks. | She wants to improve women's awareness of the symptoms of a heart attack, as well as their increased risks. |
| Mandy, with daughter Vicki and grandson Gethin, has to take medication each day | Mandy, with daughter Vicki and grandson Gethin, has to take medication each day |
| Mandy said: "For the first two, I had pains in my arm and I threw up a lot. Then I slept for two days. | Mandy said: "For the first two, I had pains in my arm and I threw up a lot. Then I slept for two days. |
| "I always believed that a heart attack was a pain in your chest, but I've had three and I've never experienced that. | "I always believed that a heart attack was a pain in your chest, but I've had three and I've never experienced that. |
| "I've got heart failure now. So with every heart attack that I have it makes my heart weaker and I know that the next one could kill me. I've been very lucky so far. | "I've got heart failure now. So with every heart attack that I have it makes my heart weaker and I know that the next one could kill me. I've been very lucky so far. |
| "I've gone from being a healthy, active person to being someone who has to take 17 different medications a day to make sure I'm alive the next day." | "I've gone from being a healthy, active person to being someone who has to take 17 different medications a day to make sure I'm alive the next day." |
| How likely are women to have a heart attack? | How likely are women to have a heart attack? |
| It comes as a British Heart Foundation Cymru report claimed unconscious bias and systemic inequalities in healthcare were leaving women at a disadvantage at every stage when it comes to heart disease. | It comes as a British Heart Foundation Cymru report claimed unconscious bias and systemic inequalities in healthcare were leaving women at a disadvantage at every stage when it comes to heart disease. |
| The charity said women were more likely to be misdiagnosed, less likely to receive optimal care, and struggle to access cardiac rehabilitation. | The charity said women were more likely to be misdiagnosed, less likely to receive optimal care, and struggle to access cardiac rehabilitation. |
| About 1,700 women are admitted to hospital in Wales every year with a heart attack, but BHF Cymru research suggested few were confident to recognise the signs. | About 1,700 women are admitted to hospital in Wales every year with a heart attack, but BHF Cymru research suggested few were confident to recognise the signs. |
| The charity said heart and circulatory diseases kill 4,900 men and 4,400 women in Wales each year, but it is often seen as mainly affecting men. | The charity said heart and circulatory diseases kill 4,900 men and 4,400 women in Wales each year, but it is often seen as mainly affecting men. |
| Consultant cardiologist Lena Izzat said unless action was taken Wales risks "an epidemic of heart failure and heart disease". | Consultant cardiologist Lena Izzat said unless action was taken Wales risks "an epidemic of heart failure and heart disease". |
| "Women often wait longer before calling 999 after first experiencing heart attack symptoms and that delay can dramatically reduce the chance of survival," she said. | "Women often wait longer before calling 999 after first experiencing heart attack symptoms and that delay can dramatically reduce the chance of survival," she said. |
| Mandy Swift has had three heart attacks, with different symptoms each time | Mandy Swift has had three heart attacks, with different symptoms each time |
| She said diabetes, smoking and high blood pressure bring higher risks of heart attacks for women than men. | She said diabetes, smoking and high blood pressure bring higher risks of heart attacks for women than men. |
| In addition polycystic ovary syndrome, pre-term delivery, hypertension and diabetes during pregnancy and premature menopause are risk factors for developing heart problems, yet are rarely acted upon. | In addition polycystic ovary syndrome, pre-term delivery, hypertension and diabetes during pregnancy and premature menopause are risk factors for developing heart problems, yet are rarely acted upon. |
| "We seldom hear people asking about these other issues, so simply by making this a routine type of questioning - whether they're visiting their GPs, or even when they're coming into the hospital - might jog a healthcare professional's memory that they need to check their cholesterol, or blood pressure," she added. | "We seldom hear people asking about these other issues, so simply by making this a routine type of questioning - whether they're visiting their GPs, or even when they're coming into the hospital - might jog a healthcare professional's memory that they need to check their cholesterol, or blood pressure," she added. |
| What is being done? | What is being done? |
| Gemma Roberts, policy and public affairs manager for BHF Cymru, said: "We fear that the assumption that women are not at risk of heart disease is costing women their lives. This has got to stop. | Gemma Roberts, policy and public affairs manager for BHF Cymru, said: "We fear that the assumption that women are not at risk of heart disease is costing women their lives. This has got to stop. |
| "We are calling on Welsh government to commit to a women's health quality statement which adopts a lifetime view, moving beyond the idea of women's health as synonymous with just reproductive health." | "We are calling on Welsh government to commit to a women's health quality statement which adopts a lifetime view, moving beyond the idea of women's health as synonymous with just reproductive health." |
| A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We are producing a women's health quality statement to ensure services consider the specific needs of women and ensure timely, equitable access to diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services in all aspects of healthcare in Wales. | A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We are producing a women's health quality statement to ensure services consider the specific needs of women and ensure timely, equitable access to diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services in all aspects of healthcare in Wales. |
| "Wales already has a quality statement for heart conditions and we will continue to work with partners and health boards to improve the care of people with heart conditions." | "Wales already has a quality statement for heart conditions and we will continue to work with partners and health boards to improve the care of people with heart conditions." |
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