Tragic Loss of Shefali Jariwala and the Alarming Rise of Women's Heart Diseases

Byline: The news of Shefali Jariwala's passing at 42 has sent shockwaves across the industry and raised concerns about women's health, particularly when it comes to heart-related illnesses. Women's cardiac problems are on the rise, with cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death among women. Unfortunately, heart attacks and cardiac arrests are killing 10 times more women than breast cancer.

Key Takeaways:

• Women's heart attack symptoms often differ from classic chest pain, with women experiencing nausea, fatigue, dizziness, or shortness of breath, leading to misdiagnosis.
• Heart disease risk rises sharply after menopause, and stress and emotional health impacts women's heart risks more, with anxiety and depression often overlooked.
• Most heart disease is preventable through a heart-healthy lifestyle, regular check-ups, and paying attention to one's body.
• Genetic conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital heart defects, arrhythmias, and undiagnosed myocarditis can cause sudden cardiac arrest in the young.
• Regular cardiac screening, including stress tests, ECGs, and 2D echocardiography, is recommended for those with a family history of sudden deaths.
• 18.69% of Indian women aged 15-49 have untreated hypertension, highlighting the need for awareness and prevention.
• Women are more likely to die within the first year after a heart attack due to missed or untreated symptoms.

Statistics:

• 18.69% of Indian women aged 15-49 have untreated hypertension (National Family Health Survey, 2020).
• Heart attacks are deadlier for women, with a higher risk of dying within the first year after a heart attack.
• 10 times more women die from heart attacks and cardiac arrests than from breast cancer.
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, with cardiovascular disease being the leading cause.

Sources:

• National Family Health Survey, 2020.
• Dr. Ashish Agarwal, Director, Cardiology, Aakash Healthcare.
• Dr. Subrat Akhoury, Chairman-Cath Lab & Interventional, Cardiologist and Head (Unit-I), Asian Hospital.
• Dr. Nihar Mehta, Associate Director, Department of Structural Heart Diseases, Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre.
• Indian National Press (Bombay) Pvt. Ltd., distributed by Contify.com.