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Health & Fitness

Heart Attack

The warning signs: What women need to know.

Ruthan Brodsky
Special to the Jewish News

symptoms are so different. The danger in
waiting too long to be treated means more
damage to the heart muscle, which may
lead to heart failure."
Research indicates that 51 percent of
all heart attacks happen to women. After
menopause, women are as much at risk as
men for heart attacks.
"I'm recovering very well and tell-
ing my story to anyone who will listen,"
Warsh said. "Dr. Sklar saved my life. I
want to let other people know how they
can take steps to save their own lives.
Ladies, going to your gynecologist for a
yearly mammogram and Pap smear isn't
enough. Have a complete physical regu-
larly. Exercise and eat healthy. And be an
advocate for your own health." -11

B

obbi (Roberta) Warsh of West
Bloomfield learned a valuable
lesson — the hard way! Now she
wants others to learn from her story so they
can possibly avoid triple bypass surgery.
"I woke up in the middle of the night
with a burning sensation in my chest that
went to my back': says Warsh. "My husband
said it was probably indigestion, so I took a
Tums and went back to bed. I slept a couple
of hours and then the discomfort returned.
I got up, watched a late movie and went
back to sleep. That morning, everything
was okay:'
"I still decided to call my doctor, Manny
Sklar," she added. "He had a cancellation
that Tuesday afternoon at 2:45 so I went to
work in the morning and later stopped by
his Southfield office'
Warsh is a travel agent and leads an
active life, walking at least three times a
week.
Dr. Manuel Sklar, M.D., internist and gas-
troenterologist, has been her physician for
the past 50 years.
"My friends tease me about going to this
man who's in his eighties, but I trust him,"
Warsh said. "He told me it was probably
indigestion, but he took an electrocardio-
gram (EKG)."
Sklar, whose office is in Southfield, com-
pared the new EKG results with her last one
t four years ago. He promptly faxed the new
EKG to cardiologist Steven Korotkin, M.D.
"I was astounded when Manny told me
to go straight to the hospital," Warsh said.
" Larry, my husband picked me up and we
went directly to Beaumont Hospital."
Both Warsh and her husband thought
they would have a lengthy wait in the emer-
gency room at the Royal Oak hospital, but
they were taken care of immediately.
"Dr. Korotkin was in my room at 6:30
Wednesday morning and explained the
game plan': Warsh said. "I was to have a
CAT scan that morning and, if I passed, I
was going home. If I didn't pass, I would
have a catherization the next morning. I
was confident I would pass the scan and be
home by mid-morning."
She flunked the CAT scan.
She was last examined by Korotkin 41/2
years ago when he reported that she had
high cholesterol and should consider medi-
cation.
"Bobbi didn't want to take any medicine

Dr. Manuel Sklar with Bobbi and Larry Warsh

so I asked to see her in three months to
have lost 10 pounds but at 72 years, I felt I
check her cholesterol levels again," said
was in great shape:'
Korotkin, whose office is in Southfield.
Experiencing delays in diagnosis and
"The next time I saw her was 41/2 years
delays in treatment is not unusual for
later. She underwent a few tests and
women.
we found a blockage in the left ante-
"Symptoms of heart attacks are often
rior descending coronary artery. When
not the usual feeling of chest pressure or
you hear of sudden death from a heart
squeezing or stabbing sensations in the
attack, especially
center or left side
among younger
of the chest for
patients, this is
women': said Dr.
usually caused by
Pamela Marcovitz,
left main blockage,
director of the
sometimes called a
Ministrelli Women's
Widow Maker. This
Heart Center at
often takes place
Beaumont Hospital,
without the classical
Royal Oak.
symptoms of chest
"Many women
pains or other indi-
don't have chest
cations of blockage.
pain, but find
Bobbi's blockage
themselves short
was in a worse loca-
of breath, very
tion and a heart
Bobbi Warsh, bypass survivor weak and unusu-
attack would have
ally fatigued. Most
meant instant death.
women are unfa-
I scheduled surgery for her that Monday
miliar with these atypical symptoms and
with Dr. Marc Sakwa, cardiac surgeon."
blame them on stress. They often delay
Even with the bad news, Warsh insisted
going to an emergency room because they
she was going home for the weekend. She
don't want to make a mistake if they're
spoke about going to the Cleveland Clinic
wrong. They don't want to be embarrassed
for a second opinion. She was upset, but
and they don't want to bother anyone. Their
never left the hospital.
reasoning could be fatal."
"One day, I'm at my office and a few
Marcovitz points out that, often, women
days later, I'm having open heart surgery,"
don't receive urgent care as quickly in an
Warsh said. "I still can't believe I had
emergency room as do men. "The symp-
triple bypass surgery. I was active, felt
toms of older women are frequently not
healthy, I exercised and ate well. I could
taken as seriously as men because their

"Ladies, going to your
gynecologist for a yearly
mammogram and Pap
smear isn't enough.
Have a complete
physical regularly."

On The Lookout
Some heart attacks are sudden and
intense; there is little doubt what's
happening. Most heart attacks,
however, start slowly, with mild pain
or discomfort. Often, people affected
aren't sure what's wrong and wait
too long before getting help.
Here are signs that can mean a
heart attack is happening:
• Chest discomfort. Most heart
attacks involve discomfort in the
center of the chest that lasts more
than a few minutes or that goes
away and comes back. It can feel like
uncomfortable pressure, squeezing,
fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of
the upper body. Symptoms can
include pain or discomfort in one or
both arms, the back, neck, jaw or
stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or
without chest discomfort.
• Other signs may include
breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea
or lightheadedness.

As with men, women's most
common heart attack symptom
is chest pain or discomfort. But
women are somewhat more likely
than men to experience some of
the other common symptoms,
particularly shortness of breath,
nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw
pain.
Source: American Heart
Association

March 19 • 2009

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