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Go Red warns women heart disease is their No. 1 killer

Kim Ash said having a heart attack was a life-changing event. She shares her story with other women to underscore the dangers of heart disease.

Contributed photo Kim Ash said having a heart attack was a life-changing event. She shares her story with other women to underscore the dangers of heart disease.

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By Robin McMacken, Staff Writer Updated 8:45 AM Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Editor’s note: Today, we continue our weekly series intended to arm you with the tools and information you need to start on the path toward better health and fitness in 2012. Find special health and fitness coverage every week in Life.

When Kim Ash had a heart attack at 49, she was far removed from the stereotypical image of a male executive clutching his chest and slumped over an office desk.

While chest pain is indeed the signature sign of heart attack for men and women, Ash also had other symptoms men sometimes don’t experience: discomfort in her neck and nausea.

As the American Heart Association (AHA) kicks off its annual Go Red for Women campaign and American Heart Month, Ash sends this powerful message: Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, but it can be prevented and properly managed.

Ash is eager to share her heart story with others not only in hopes of reminding women of the dangers of heart disease, but also to remind herself how fortunate she was when she suffered a heart attack (also known as a myocardial infarction) on Oct. 9, 2009.

“I want to scream it from the rooftop,” says Ash.

She vividly recalls the events leading up to her heart attack.

“For several weeks, I hadn’t been feeling quite right,” she explains. “I made comments to my family and co-workers telling them I like felt like I was going to have a heart attack.”

Yet Ash dismissed the “bad thoughts” — which Beth Langefels, director of communications for the Miami Valley Division of the AHA, says women tend to do as they juggle work and family — and continued with her daily routine. At the time, Ash was a production manager at Michael’s Salon and Spa in Centerville.

“I remember telling a co-worker how exhausted I was and kept saying, ‘I just feel so funny,’ ” Ash says.

Seeing the warning signs of a heart attack posted on the AHA website prompted Ash’s husband, Darrell, to drive her to the emergency room at Miami Valley Hospital South — just a mile from their home.

Once there, Ash says the ER staff rightly chided them for not having dialed 911.

Admitted “within a matter of moments,” Ash was hospitalized for five days.

“I don’t want to ever forget about it. ... It’s too easy to forget and then do the wrong things,” says the Centerville resident.

The risk factors for heart disease include obesity, inactivity, diabetes, family history, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stress, smoking and age. Women older than 55 are more likely to have a heart attack than their younger peers.

These days, Ash manages her health with medication, regular exercise and a healthy diet.

And she dropped her habit of occasionally sneaking out for a cigarette smoke.

“My heart attack was a lesson learned. ... Everyone should pay attention to what their body is telling them. Heart disease never goes away, but it can be managed.”

Events educate women about heart disease

The AHA is working to dispel the myth that heart disease is a man’s problem, enlisting such celebrities as Star Jones, Elizabeth Banks and Jennie Garth to foster the movement on the national level. Locally, several events are planned.

Thursday — Go Red for Women Kickoff, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Dayton Racquet Club. Healthy refreshments, entertainment. Free.

Friday — National Wear Red Day. Wear red to work or make a donation in support of the women’s health campaign.

Saturday — Go Red Connect Casting Call, noon to 4 p.m., Dayton Mall Center Court. Female heart disease survivors are invited to record their stories. Participants will have a chance to be local or national spokeswomen. A casting call also will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kenwood Towne Centre in Cincinnati. A Go Red Mall Walk is set for 9 a.m. at Kenwood.

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