"National Wear Red Day Aims To Raise Awareness About Heart Disease In Women" - Alex Denis
Heart disease is the number one killer in women and disease rates in younger women are increasing. Mika Leah has always lived a healthy lifestyle. “I was a cycle instructor, I was an athlete. I really didn’t think it could happen to me,” the go red for women volunteer said. Eight years ago, the young mother’s life quickly changed. It became harder to exercise and she had some chest pains. “I was breathless. I couldn’t catch my breath. Then I threw up,” Leah explained. It turns out Mika – then just 33-years-old – had a 98 percent blockage in her main artery and needed three stents. “For women less than 55-years-old there has actually been an increase in the incidence of heart disease,” said Suzanne Steinbaum, DO, director of Women’s Cardiovascular Prevention, Health and Wellness at The Mount Sinai Hospital. “We are seeing risk factors like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, increasing the risk in this population that is otherwise really healthy,” added Dr. Steinbaum. “It’s critical to know you risk factors,” she added.
— Suzanne R. Steinbaum, DO, Senior Faculty, Medicine, Cardiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director, Women’s Cardiovascular Prevention, Health and Wellness, The Mount Sinai Hospital
Additional Coverage: News Live; CBS