After Elizabeth Lindsey, 80, of Lake Montezuma, Ariz., had undergone valve replacement surgery for a heart condition, she decided to take more interest in her heart health, and attended a cardiac lecture at Verde Valley Medical Center.

“Following my operation, I wanted to learn what was going on with my body, so I attended the educational seminar,” said Lindsey. “The guest speaker was Dr. James Dwyer, interventional cardiologist. I didn’t know it that day, but the things he said during his presentation would later help save my life.”

Heart Attack
A few months later, Lindsey awoke early one morning suffering from extreme pain in her chest. When the chest pain went away, she wanted to believe her mind had been playing a trick on her. However, when Lindsey then began experiencing pain in her lower jaw, she remembered learning about that as one of the symptoms of heart attack in women.

“I had been going back and forth about whether anything really was wrong with me, and then said to myself, ‘Elizabeth, you’re in trouble,’” said Lindsey. “I remembered exactly what Dr. Dwyer had said to do by calling 911. I told the paramedics I was having a heart attack.”

First responders brought Lindsey straight to the Emergency room, where her heart stopped. “One moment I was talking with the doctor, and the next I couldn’t see,” said Lindsey. “Suddenly, there was a tube down my throat and the doctor was pounding on my chest. When I woke up, I was surprised to find out from the nurse at my bedside that it was the next day.”

After receiving treatment in the VVMC Catheterization Laboratory and spending 12 days in the hospital, Lindsey was able to return home.

Recovery
Today, Lindsey continues to visit Dr. Dwyer for periodic checkups, but she hasn’t had any other problems with her heart. To stay busy, she volunteers, exercises, cares for her six dogs and is taking a class in Clarkdale.

“What I learned at the seminar saved my life,” said Lindsey. “People need to educate themselves about their health so they know what to do if there’s an emergency.”

Dr. Dwyer concurs. “It’s critical for anyone with a heart condition to follow the advice of their physician and respond appropriately to an event such as a heart attack,” said James Dwyer, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.S.A.I., medical director of the Heart & Vascular Center of Northern Arizona. “In fact, everyone should know the signs and symptoms and how to respond because we don’t always know what could happen to us or someone we love.”

What Women Need to Know
Women may have traditional heart attack symptoms, such as crushing chest pain, or they may have none at all. The following are a few symptoms women commonly experience during a heart attack:

• pain in the lower jaw, neck, shoulder or upper back
• abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting
• shortness of breath
• sweating
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• fatigue