YRMC turns focus to women's heart health

Each year more women than men succumb to heart disease, yet many women are unaware of the risks to their lives, says Machele Headington, spokeswoman for Yuma Regional Medical Center.

The hospital recently kicked off its 100 days of Wear Red for Women, part of the National Wear Red Day campaign that starts Feb. 1. It aims to teach women to reduce their risk of heart disease.

Headington said women are encouraged to wear red as a symbol of a proactive effort to lower their risk of heart disease and live longer lives.

In fact, heart disease kills more women than the next seven causes of death combined, and one in three women will die from heart disease, according to Lynn Smith, director of the cardiovascular unit at YRMC.

Heart disease in women presents different symptoms than in men, and it can mimic menopause, which is one reason why women don't seek treatment for it, explained Smith.

"Women live a third of their lives in menopause," Smith said. "They are the caregivers, so they frequently ignore their own symptoms."

Fullness of the chest, chronic fatigue, breathlessness, waking up at night, all associated with menopause, can also be signs of heart disease, Smith noted.

"In my opinion, one of the biggest things is if fatigue interrupts your normal life cycle, if it's out of character for you, you should see a doctor."

Critical actions women can take include stopping smoking, managing diabetes, managing blood pressure and taking medication as prescribed.

More than half of all women over 55 have high blood pressure. Smoking raises blood pressure.

Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease three to seven fold and overweight women are more likely to develop it even if they have no other risk factors, Smith cautioned.

A woman can't know by how she feels if she has high blood pressure, she noted. People need to ask their doctors about heart disease and they have to tell them if they smoke or are physically inactive.

"People wanting to do something about it need to take a small step - one step at a time, "Smith said. "Walk 10 minutes a day and gradually add to it until you work up to 30 minutes a day."

But individual action alone will improve risk factors only on a small scale and that is why YRMC has teamed up with Yuma businesses to empower women to live more heart-healthy lives.

Shaw Diversified Services Inc. is a Yuma carpet fiber manufacturer that has participated in the campaign all four years. Ursula Porter, the plant nurse, has been active in Shaw's drive to reduce heart failure risk.

Cholesterol screening, blood pressure exams and an annual health education fair where companies make presentations about healthier lifestyles are programs Porter said she helps coordinate for Shaw employees.

"I deliver to each woman employee a packet of information in February," Porter said. "That gives me an opportunity to make sure no women employees miss out on heart health promotions."

Porter also said she individually counsels any employees with health issues to take corrective measures. Shaw, which is a smoke-free plant, knows healthier employees not only benefits the company in the long run but also families, she noted.

"We're not doing this just because they are Shaw employees," Porter said. "But we want to have everyone have a healthier life and make them more productive individuals to the community."

Municipal government is also carrying the torch for the campaign. Kay Eldridge, training and development program manager for the city of Yuma, has spearheaded the program for city employees.

"Even if you do nothing but wear red, it brings the need for awareness of heart health to the public," Eldridge said.

There are programs planned for city employees throughout Wear Red's 100 days until the Women's Expo taking place on May 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Yuma Civic Center. It features health screenings, entertainment, and promises to be a day of fun and pampering, Eldridge noted.

"On a personal note, I'm not old but I have high blood pressure," Eldridge said. "I shouldn't have it at my age. It's a hereditary thing."

And yet the campaign is not strictly targeted to women, Eldridge pointed out. There are many male employees who participate out of a concern for female family members and friends.

"YRMC has been very generous supplying us with whatever we need to make our program successful," Eldridge said, "But clearly, it is not the same for men and women."

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William Roller can be reached at

wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.

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WEAR RED DAY YUMA CITY EMPLOYEE EVENTS

-Walk it Off: two thirty-minute lunch time walks, one near City Hall and the other near the Public Works area.

-Choose to Move: a 12-week online registry for exercise tips.

-Get Caught: urges city employees to snitch about coworkers wearing red and receive lapel pins.

-Give a Little Red: Feb. 14 a blood drive at City Hall's training room (open to public)-

-Lunch and Learn: at City Hall and Public Works with guest speakers to educate about heart health.

-Healthy Soup Pot Luck: Feb. 19