Exclusive: Long Island woman offers cautionary tale after dismissing heart disease symptoms
MANHASSET, N.Y. -- On this 20th anniversary of National Wear Red Day to promote women's heart health, a Long Island woman offers a cautionary tale.
She says she was so busy as a working mother, she didn't notice she was about to become a sad statistic.
"I started to feel pressure on my chest and pain in my jaw," Maria Reale said.
At age 57, busy as a mom working two jobs, Reale wrote off her symptoms as exhaustion and stress.
In pain while driving, the doctor told her to get to the hospital.
"Even in that moment in time, I was second-guessing myself, thinking, 'How bad could this be?'" Reale said. "I'm saying, well, can I just run a couple of errands first? Can I take my child to a doctor appointment?"
She's sharing her story, she says, to save lives after Dr. Evelina Grayver, with Northwell Health's Katz Institute for Women's Health, saved hers.
"This was dire because she was sitting on what's called a widow-maker ... She had 90% blockage of that artery," Grayver said.
Grayver says too often women dismiss the symptoms, making cardiovascular disease the number one killer for women, more than all cancers combined. Symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath,
- Fatigue,
- Nausea,
- Sweating,
- Indigestion,
- And, in Maria's case, jaw pain and chest pressure.
"One woman dies from cardiovascular disease every 80 seconds, and the reason that happens is because so much of that cardiovascular disease in women goes under-recognized," Grayver said.
Watch: On Call with Dr. Kumar -- Women's heart health
Immediately, doctors at Northwell Health opened the blockage with a stent. Then came the hard work.
"Doing my walking every day, my minimum 10,000 steps ... I eat well, I exercise, I definitely try to destress," Reale said.
Reale dramatically changed her lifestyle and lost 50 pounds.
"I can, you know, walk up hills," she said.
Now there's gratitude on both sides for a life-saving message.
"From my heart, you saved my life. You did, right?" Reale told Grayver.
"If you want to take care of others who you love, you have to take care of yourself first," Reale added.
There are no guidelines to what age a woman should first see a cardiologist. Grayver recommends it if you know you have a family history and before getting pregnant. Waiting until you have symptoms could be too late.
Doctors say 80% of cardiac and stroke events may be prevented with education and lifestyle changes.
