MILWAUKEE — February is Heart Month, an effort to raise awareness of heart disease, the leading cause of death for both men and women.
Cindy Milgram was the definition of healthy. As someone who exercised often and had no family history of heart problems, she said she was shocked when a routine checkup in 2021 led her to a cardiologist.
"My doctor heard a heart murmur and asked if anybody had told me that before. It was completely news to me. So I had not been told that, and out of an abundance of caution, she sent me for an echocardiogram."
Cindy was diagnosed with a leaky mitral valve, a condition in which the heart valve does not close properly.
"I was determined I would have to have surgery of some sort to fix that leaky mitral valve," Cindy said.
After finding the right surgeon, she underwent a lengthy open-heart surgery to repair the valve.
"I was asymptomatic. I thought this was something that couldn’t happen to young women. I thought that was a disease I would never be a part of," Cindy said.
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year. The disease also impacts new moms and women going through menopause.
"Environment might play a role, lifestyle choices of exercise, diet, high blood pressure, even things like sleep. And for women especially, they go through many changes in their life—they go through pregnancy, they go through menopause—and that gives them a much higher risk of developing heart disease," said Dr. Joy Lincoln, president of the American Heart Association Milwaukee chapter.
The symptoms to watch for
Dr. Lincoln said symptoms vary from person to person. Some, like Cindy, may be asymptomatic, while others may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness, or—for women—upper belly or back pain.
"Even if you feel unusually tired or short of breath when exercising or even just walking up the stairs, if anything feels a little different, just go and check it out."
Heart disease can impact a woman at any age. But is it possible to prevent it? Dr. Lincoln says there are several ways to protect heart health.
Ways to protect heart health
"Eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep. Make small lifestyle changes, like using less salt in your diet. Go for a walk," Dr. Lincoln said.
Cindy’s successful heart surgery marked the start of a new journey. She has become an advocate for herself and others.
"We need to know the signs and numbers—our cholesterol and blood pressure. We need to understand these things so we can continue advocating for ourselves and live long, healthy lives," Cindy said.
Cindy is now training to become a CPR instructor so she can teach others the life-saving procedure that can double or triple the chances of survival after cardiac arrest.
The American Red Cross offers CPR classes. For more information, click here.
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