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Pregnant women, especially the older ones, should watch for signs of heart problems as their pregnancy progresses and their babies arrive
Pregnancy , delivery or during the two months after childbirth increased by 25 percent from 2002 to 2014, a study published Wednesday in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found. The rate of deceased patients remained high but stable during this period at 4.5%.
"Being aware is the biggest message to remember for women," Dr. Sripal Bangalore, co-author of the study, interventional cardiologist and badociate professor "Even if you are of childbearing age, that does not matter to you not completely protect you from having a heart attack …. That being said, I do not want to overstate the risk – the risk is low. "
Yet, the authors have described the rise of heart attacks complicating pregnancy of "remarkable" since this has occurred despite advances in the prevention of heart problems. One explanation may be that many pregnant women are now older than in the past, and "advanced maternal age" – defined as 35 or more – was strongly badociated with heart attack during pregnancy, the researchers wrote. . Pregnant women aged 35 to 39 were five times more likely to have a heart attack than women in their twenties; those in their forties were ten times more likely than women in their twenties.
"The age itself was one of the strongest predictors," notes Bangalore.
Another reason may be that heart attacks are easier to detect. Symptoms may be "veiled"
For the study, researchers badyzed more than 55 million pregnancy-related hospitalizations between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2014, in the database National Inpatient Survey and found 4,471 cases of heart attack. About 20% occurred in the weeks and months before birth, nearly 24% during labor and delivery and more than 53% in the weeks following birth
The total number of women affected was still relatively low: about 8 cases per 100,000 women hospitalized during pregnancy and the first weeks after childbirth. In general, hormonal and other changes during pregnancy increase the risk of having a heart attack in women.
The diagnosis can sometimes be a challenge, said Bangalore. For example, pregnant women may have acid reflux and it becomes difficult to distinguish if it is a heartburn due to pregnancy or chest discomfort that may be caused by a heart attack. Some symptoms may also be "darkened" on delivery, Bangalore added. If a woman has been sedated during childbirth, she may not feel the typical chest pain.
This study found that heart attacks were badociated with advanced maternal age, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and heart failure. , anemia and cancer. They were also more likely to occur in women who were diagnosed with preeclampsia and those who gave birth in section C.
The best way to treat heart attacks during pregnancy remains "unclear," notes L & # 39; study, but fewer women die
If you are pregnant, doctors have suggested these tips:
They include chest pain, chest pressure and discomfort, dizziness, lightheadedness, lightheadedness. ; breathlessness. and a general feeling of being unusually sick or tired. These clbadic symptoms also apply to pregnant women, says Bangalore
Know Risk Factors
If you are pregnant and are over 35 years old, and / or have high blood pressure, diabetes and / or hypercholesterolemia, pay close attention to your body. If you have troubling symptoms, tell your doctor immediately.
Stay Healthy
Stop smoking, manage your high blood pressure or diabetes, and watch your weight gain carefully if you are obese. Losing weight before becoming pregnant is the best way to decrease the risk of problems caused by obesity, advises the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obesity during pregnancy puts women at risk for serious health problems, including preeclampsia, a blood pressure disorder.
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