MACON, Ga. — According to the American Heart Association, heart disease causes 1 in 3 deaths each year. And Lisa Ferguson did not want to be a part of that statistic.
Ferguson loves camping and spending time with her grandchildren. She never thought she would have to take some time to focus on herself.
"I was driving one day back from Atlanta and just had a really dizzy spell-- Went to the doctor and was having some irregular heart rate."
Fortunately, the nurse had a doctor's appointment that day and talked to them about what she had experienced while driving. She got some tests done and the doctor told her she was having anxiety. After experiencing another episode, the next day, she went back to the doctor.
Doctors at Piedmont Macon put a loop recorder "just underneath the skin" and monitored her heart for two years. After experiencing a seven-second pause in heart rhythm, Ferguson went back to the doctor for a stress test. The test showed "slightly abnormal" levels and she was recommended to a cardiologist. They gave her a heart catheter and it showed much worse.
"I had a heart cath and that showed blockage in three vessels of my heart, like completely shocking. A week later, I had open heart surgery," Ferguson said.
According to the American Heart Association, only 44% of women recognize heart disease as their biggest health threat. Dr.Jayne Morgan with Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta says symptoms of a heart attack in women aren't the same as for men.
"It may not be this dramatic chest, pain, and crushing pressure, or tension, or loss of consciousness or shortness of breath, these types of things that would be noticeable not only by the person but by others around them. It would drive them to the emergency room. A woman may have symptoms that sometimes may mimic the flu," Dr. Morgan said.
The cardiologist told 13WMAZ symptoms of heart disease for women can go unnoticed for a long time. She says there isn't a lot of research about women with heart disease due to the lack of women in clinical trials. Research shows more Black women with heart disease than any other race.
"There is a correlation to the socioeconomic status where you live, whether it is safe to exercise just right outside your home, whether you have access to parks, whether there is a pharmacy within a 5-mile radius of you, so you can get the medications that you need." Dr. Morgan said. "Whether the type of job that you have allows you to even purchase fresh fruits and vegetables which are expensive. It is cheaper to buy fast processed food that fits within your budget than to actually purchase fresh fruits and vegetables."
Ferguson wants more women to pay attention to their health when something is wrong.
"Watch your risk factors. As a nurse, I know these things. I know I shouldn't smoke, I know I've been overweight, I know I shouldn't sit and not exercise as I should. It's important to take care of yourself. Don't assume just because everything is chugging that everything is fine," Ferguson.
Ferguson had a successful surgery and still has to have routine checkups to monitor her heart.
The American Heart Association says going through menopause doesn't cause heart disease but when a woman reaches 50 years old, their risk factors increase.