Murkowski Urges Heart Disease Awareness for Women
Senator at Valentine’s Day Event: “Use Your Networks, Talk to Other Women”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Lisa Murkowski today joined the Women’s Heart Health Foundation, encouraging women to communicate to one another about the high risk of heart disease – given that too few women are aware a woman dies every minute from heart disease, stroke or other forms of cardiovascular disease.
“I urge you to use your networks, talk to other women, go home tonight and share it with people you know,” Murkowski told the women in attendance. “Tweet it, go to your Facebook page. Put this information out there so that others are aware of the importance of heart screenings. We have to make sure that every woman knows the consequences of heart disease, but more importantly knows they can prevent it from happening.”
Senator Murkowski is the lead Republican co-sponsor of S.438, the Heart Disease Education, Research and Analysis, and Treatment (HEART) for Women Act, with Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.
Today’s event was focused on educating DC attendees and other events nationwide that:
- Each year significantly more women than men die from heart disease and stroke.
- 80 percent of women age 40 to 60 have one or more heart disease risk factors that can be controlled or reduced.
- Women are far less likely than men to be tested or treated for heart disease in a timely manner.
- Women have more heart attacks that go unrecognized, more repeat heart attacks, and greater risk of stroke after heart attack.
- Women don’t know that heart attack symptoms may be different than in men. Women are more likely to feel shortness of breath, fatigue, abdominal pressure, nausea or heartburn, or jaw, neck, back, or upper shoulder pain.
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