Ceirra Zeager, a 14-year-old high school freshman from rural Pennsylvania, experienced a heart attack while attending her first school dance with a boy. She felt her heart racing, which continued even after the dance. The next morning, she woke up feeling fatigued and experienced heaviness in her arm and chest pain. She collapsed, and her dad took her to the hospital, where she was initially diagnosed with anxiety and then referred to a children’s hospital. At the children’s hospital, a cardiac catheterization procedure revealed a heart attack caused by a blood clot that traveled through a hole in her heart and into a coronary artery.
Further tests showed that Zeager had elevated lipoprotein A, making her red blood cells extra sticky, and a hole in her heart called patent foramen ovale (PFO), which allowed the blood clot to get lodged in her coronary artery. Zeager underwent surgery to repair the hole and was prescribed blood thinners for six months.
Years later, Zeager experienced extreme fatigue and learned that one of her heart valves needed to be repaired as soon as possible due to the damage caused by her heart attack. She underwent open-heart surgery to repair the valve, and her ejection fraction was around 44%, below the healthy range of 50% to 70%. She had a slow recovery, struggling with her self-esteem and mental healing.
Zeager has shared her story as a volunteer for the American Heart Association to raise awareness about heart attack signs and encourage young women to speak up when they know something is wrong. Her story serves as a reminder that heart disease is not just something that affects older adults, and that heart attacks can happen at any age.
Research shows that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, and that women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men. It is essential for young women to know the signs of a heart attack and to speak up when they experience symptoms, just as Zeager did. Some common symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Jaw, neck, or back pain
Women may also experience less common symptoms, such as:
- Fatigue
- Sweating
- Upper abdominal pain
It is important to note that heart attacks can be prevented by adopting healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and not smoking. It is also essential to manage underlying medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, which can increase the risk of heart disease.
Zeager’s story highlights the importance of knowing the signs of a heart attack, speaking up when something is wrong, and taking steps to prevent heart disease. By sharing her story, she hopes to raise awareness about heart disease and encourage young women to take their heart health seriously.
