"I had a heart attack at age 33. That was 10 years ago. Today my heart is strong, and I’m healthier than ever."
That’s the story Karen Casciato now shares with women. Karen works as a referral specialist for Providence ElderPlace. Like most women, she didn’t know the truth about heart disease until she had a heart attack. These are the facts:
- One in every three women will develop heart disease in her lifetime.
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death among American women.
- Women are diagnosed less frequently with heart disease and they are less likely to survive a heart attack.
Karen’s history sounds frighteningly familiar to many. "I was a single mother. I supported my two young children by working two jobs. I ate on-the-run at fast-food restaurants. I smoked, drank, had high cholesterol and was overweight," says Karen. She did exercise, though, and that may have helped save her life.
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| Karen Casciato |
"One morning I felt an incredible pain in my chest. It was as if an elephant had stomped on me and wouldn’t get off. I was concerned but thought it was probably caused by indigestion. The pain went away in about 20 minutes, and I didn’t think about it again. After all, I had plans and commitments to keep."
Twelve hours later the pain returned. "This time it was accompanied by dizziness, a cold sweat, overwhelming nausea and a pain so intense that I had to lie down," says Karen. "My two children were in bed. I managed to call my sister Kathy, who is a nurse. She came over right away, and she found me passed out on the bathroom floor."
Physicians in the emergency department at Providence Portland Medical Center realized that Karen was having a heart attack. Tests revealed that the left ascending main artery to Karen’s heart was completely blocked. She underwent an emergency angioplasty to open the artery and spent a week in the hospital.
"The surgeon put me on a 500-calorie-a-day diet and told me to ‘get back to life’," recalls Karen. "The life I had before my heart attack had to change dramatically if I wanted to see my kids grow up."
That desire prompted Karen to make some very difficult and dramatic changes in her life. "I had to quit smoking, drinking, change my eating habits and get my cholesterol under control. It’s not easy making one change let alone four."
"Controlling my cholesterol level helped me the most," states Karen. She enrolled in a clinical study that showed heart attack survivors who have average to slightly elevated cholesterol levels can reduce their risk of having another heart attack by taking Pravachol, known generically as pravastatin. Women, in particular, benefit from the medication.
"My cholesterol level dropped from 246 to 196. Participating in the study also gave me the emotional support I needed at that time."
The hard work has paid off for Karen. "Today, I’m happy, healthy and enjoying life." Karen, now remarried, has had the chance to watch her children grow up. "It was a dream come true to see both of my children graduate from high school."
Making lifestyle changes is never easy, but Karen has proven that it is possible – even for women living very stressful lives – to make the changes that can keep the heart beating strong.
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