About this item
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women worldwide. Yet most people are still unaware that heart disease is not just a man's problem. Carolyn Thomas, a heart attack survivor herself, is on a mission to educate women about their heart health. Based on her popular Heart Sisters blog, which has attracted more than 10 million views from readers in 190 countries, A Woman's Guide to Living with Heart Disease combines personal experience and medical knowledge to help women learn how to understand and manage a catastrophic diagnosis.In A Woman's Guide to Living with Heart Disease, Thomas explains* how to recognize the early signs of a heart attack* why women often delay seeking treatment -- and how to overcome that impulse* the link between pregnancy complications and future heart disease* why so many women with heart disease are misdiagnosed -- and how to help yourself get an accurate diagnosis* the importance of cardiac rehabilitation in lowering mortality risk* what to expect during your recovery from a heart attack* how the surreal process of coping with heart disease may affect your daily life* methods for treating heart disease-related depression without drugsEqual parts memoir about a misdiagnosed heart attack, guide to the predictable stages of heart disease -- from grief to resilience -- and patient-friendly translation of important science-based findings on women's unique heart issues, this book is an essential read.
About the Author
When Carolyn Thomas was discharged from her local hospital's cardiac intensive care unit after surviving what physicians call the "widow maker" heart attack, she threw herself into figuring out what had just happened to her. Why had that ER doctor misdiagnosed her with acid reflux and sent her home - despite her textbook symptoms of chest pain, nausea, sweating and pain radiating down her left arm? Why had all of her cardiac diagnostic tests results been "normal"? Why was she now suddenly feeling like an emotional train wreck, and would she ever get her old life back? She learned the answers to these - and many more - questions when she was accepted for the annual WomenHeart Science and Leadership Symposium for Women with Heart Disease at the world-famous Mayo Clinic. When she returned home after this prestigious patient advocacy training, she started sharing what she'd just learned about women's heart health - and the cardiology gender gap between how men and women are diagnosed and treated. Since then, she's spoken to thousands of women (and a few men!) at her popular "Heart Smart Women" presentations. (Or, as one reviewer dubbed them: "part cardiology bootcamp, and part stand-up comedy!") Her book, 'A Woman's Guide to Living with Heart Disease', is based on her award-winning blog, Heart Sisters (which has had over 12 million views from 190 countries so far) . Carolyn is likely the first author ever published by Johns Hopkins University Press who does not have at least one graduate degree. She lives on the beautiful west coast of Canada, where her darling grandbaby, Everly Rose, does her heart good.
