ORLANDO, Fla. — Many people may think the signs of a heart attack are unmistakable. Local doctors told us, for women, the signs actually may not be obvious and might even be confusing.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
“Heart attacks have traditionally been attributed to men,” Dr. Linus Wodi, the Chief of Cardiology at AdventHealth Apopka, said.
Despite that, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association. Many women, like Reena Caprario, often chalk up the symptoms to less life-threatening conditions.
“I had some pain in my left shoulder blade,” Caprario said. “I was like oh yeah, I’m just going to pop a gas x because that’s what it is.”
She waited to contact her doctor until symptoms escalated over seven days.
Read: Helicopter, plane collide: FAA closes two helicopter routes near airport (live updates)
“Now I have all the symptoms,” Caprario said. “Coming down my arm, into my hand, my back, my chest, in my jaw, shooting up to my brain.”
A trip to the ER and a 99% blocked artery landed her in front of Dr. Wodi. He said Caprario’s EKG and blood work were both abnormal.
“If you have any damage to the heart muscles, the troponin slips out into the blood and we can pick it up,” Dr. Wodi said. “For her the normal should’ve been less than 14. Her value was in the 700′s when she showed up.”
The team decided to place a mesh stint in Caprario’s heart to return normal blood flow.
Read: Orlando leaders cut ribbon on new 55+ affordable housing community
He said it was a situation that could’ve turned deadly.
“It can lead to an arrythmia, and those patients may end up dying from an arrythmia,” Dr. Wodi said.
Although Caprario said she regrets not listening to her body, she is thankful to be here to tell her story.
“I feel so lucky,” Caprario said. “I thank God every day. I want to watch my family grow; I want to have grandchildren.”
Doctors say heart attacks are mostly preventable. They say to take action and to prevent one you should check in with your primary care doctor, eat healthy such as the Mediterranean diet, and exercise.
Read: Community organizations unite to distribute cold weather supplies to seniors in Longwood
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
