She remembers every family member's tablet timings — and forgets her own last health check. In our clinic, she is often the woman whose heart trouble was found late.
Heart disease is still treated as a 'men's problem.' It isn't. It is a leading cause of death among women in India, and South Asians develop artery blockages roughly a decade earlier than people in the West. After menopause, the body's hormone balance changes — cholesterol, blood pressure and the way fat is stored often shift for the worse — and risk climbs steadily. The harder part: in women, the warning signs are often quieter — and quietly ignored.
- Learn the softer signals. Not every heart attack is crushing chest pain. Unusual tiredness, breathlessness on stairs you always managed, discomfort in the jaw, neck, back or upper abdomen, cold sweat or nausea can all be warning signs. If it is severe, happening right now, or comes on at rest — treat it as an emergency: call 108 or reach the nearest hospital with cardiac care immediately. Do not drive yourself, and do not wait for the family to finish dinner. If the symptom has settled but is new for you, see a doctor and get an ECG within twenty-four hours. Never 'wait and watch' for days.
- Tell your doctor about your pregnancy history. High blood pressure in pregnancy (including pre-eclampsia), gestational diabetes, preterm delivery or PCOS all raise your long-term heart risk — even if it happened twenty years ago. Most women never mention it. It matters.
- Know your four numbers from age 30. Blood pressure, fasting sugar or HbA1c, a lipid profile, and your waist. For Indian women, a waist above 80 cm signals real risk even when the weighing scale looks fine.
- Protect the daily basics. A brisk 30-minute walk most days, less salt and deep-fried food, no tobacco or second-hand smoke at home, and about seven to eight hours of sleep. Small, steady habits beat one dramatic effort.
You take care of everyone at home — let us take care of you. Book a simple heart check with Dr. Stalin Roy J, Interventional Cardiologist, at SR Heart Clinic, East Tambaram, Chennai. Bring your mother, your wife, your sister — and bring your old reports too.
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