Talk of the Town - Whitley County

(Talk of the Town photos by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Above, attendees at the Whitley County Community Foundation's Women's Giving Circle luncheon listen carefully to Dr. Linda Landon, a cardiologist with Fort Wayne Cardiology, as she provides information about understanding and reducing the risk of heart disease in women.

By Jennifer Zartman Romano

Since the program's inception, many free mammograms have been given away to women lacking insurance or the funds to pay for the crucial test to determine breast abnormalities thanks to the Women's Giving Circle.
Recently, a woman pulled Whitley County Community Foundation executive director September McConnell aside and told her that a friend had received one of the free mammograms -- and because of it, learned she had breast cancer in an early stage.
"If I don't do another thing or we don't complete another project, that was worth it," McConnell said, the sense of emotion catching in her voice.
Indeed, the Women's Giving Circle Fund through the Whitley County Community Foundation has accomplished a lot of good -- finding cancer, setting weary minds at ease and creating an awareness about breast cancer and other women's health issues.
Breast cancer has been an important mission of the group, but as McConnell told a group of women present for the annual Women's Giving Circle luncheon recently, there are many issues of concern including teen and pre-teen self-esteem and heart health.
"Heart issues are huge and I think we ignore it," McConnell said. "Heart health is kind of a silent predator. It's out there and we need to be more aware of it."
Dr. Linda Landin of Fort Wayne Cardiology, a graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine, discovered her interest for heart health during her internship at St Vincent's Hospital. During the past several decades of her career, Landin has seen great advances and greater understanding of women's heart health.
"Heart health for women has taken a back seat," Landin said. "No one paid attention that women could have heart problems.
We are now more aware and we've learned that heart disease can affect women differently than men."
"We have seen tremendous change in the care and treatment of heart attacks," Landin said.  "And we've seen more emphasis on prevention."
Landin said a number of disorders fall under the overall umbrella of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, heart defects, peripheral heart disease, valvular disease, rheumatic heart disease and pulmonary circulation disorders.
"Heart disease is the number one killer bar none," Landin said, adding that it affects 500,000 yearly and someone dies every 32 seconds from a heart related issue. Looking around the room, Landin said one of every two women would be effected by cardiovascular disease in their lifetime.
"Statistics show breast cancer kills one in 30 women," Landin said. "Heart disease kills one in 2.5 women. That's a pretty startling realization. Statistics show that heart disease presents itself as sudden death in half of those who have it."
Landin shared symptoms to help women become aware of the unique and sometimed different ways a heart attack will present iteself in a woman. Symptoms can include discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw and stomach, back pain, jaw pain and shortness of breath. Sometimes these symptoms are less severe in women and they are often overlooked or ignored, a perilous mistake Landin said.
"You need to call 911 immediately. Do not wait more than five minutes," she said. "Quick action and medical treatment are helpful, but dead heart muscle tissue cannot be restored. Medications do exist to help stop some of the damage and restore blood flow."
"Stints can keep arteries open," she said. Landin said the standard time between when a woman senses a problem and her presence in a heart catheter lab should be no more than 90 minutes to minimize damage.
But instead of putting reliance on saving patients after they've suffered a heart attack, Landin wanted to warn women to turn back the clock and make changes now to prevent heart disease later.
"Can we slow, halt or reverse cardiovascular disease -- that's a big YES," Landin said emphatically.
"Indentify your risk factors, control your risk factors and identify what factors can increase your risk," she said. Landin said hereditary can be a risk factor if a female relative suffered a heart attack under age 65 or a male relative suffered a heart attack under age 55. Second hand smoke, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes and stress are also risk factors.
Dietary suggestions include eliminating animal fats and saturated fats, increase fiber and reduce or avoid high cholesterol foods such as eggs and meat. Lifestyle changes should include exercise and not smoking.
Landin said realistic goals that can help improve your overall health include losing weight in a healthy way -- about 1 to 1.5 pounds per week. "Most diets fail. You need to make realistic lifestyle changes to be successful," Landin said. "It's about lifestyle change and setting small goals for yourself. You're more likely to be successful this way."
Landin urged regular medical checkups and advised women to find a physican they feel comfortable talking with openly about their risk factors for heart disease.
"It doesn't happen overnight," she said of reversing heart disease. "The key to a healthy heart is knowing what your risk factors are and making your own health a priority."