One in three women is expected to die of heart disease, making heart health an essential priority for all women.
Most know that a balanced diet and regular exercise are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding heart hazards such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. However, when it comes to heart disease, there is additional life-saving information that every woman should know:
1) Heart disease is not just a man’s disease. The truth is that more women will die this year of heart disease than men, making it the number one killer of both sexes. While the risk of getting heart disease increases with age, women of all ages should take heart health seriously. A healthy lifestyle in your 20’s, 30’s and 40’s can dramatically reduce the risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
2) Women’s heart attack symptoms differ from men’s. Current research reveals that women are less likely to exhibit classic signs of a heart attack, such as chest pain. Instead, they may experience so-called atypical symptoms such as fatigue, upper back pain, indigestion, anxiety, weakness, cold sweats, and dizziness during a heart attack.
3) Symptoms can present long before a heart attack. A recent study of female heart attack patients found that 95% had symptoms (both classical and atypical) before their heart attack. While many experienced these warning signs in the few months directly before the heart attack, some reported them up to two years prior.
4) Women are less likely to survive a heart attack than men. While the reasons for this health disparity are not well understood, women have less of a chance of surviving a heart attack than do men. Women are also more likely to have a second heart attack sooner, more likely to become disabled as a result of a heart attack, and more likely to die after bypass surgery than their male counterparts.
5) A gender gap exists in cardiovascular care and research. According to the American Heart Association, women receive just one-third of all heart related surgeries (such as angioplasties, bypass, and open heart surgeries), and make up only one-quarter of participants in cardiovascular related research studies.
Prevention is key
The good news behind the startling statistics is that heart disease is highly preventable and every woman can take steps to lower her risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Women can start by getting their blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked, and discussing with their physician any existing conditions, such as diabetes, that impact heart health. Not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake, and managing stress will also lower the chances of developing heart-related issues. Most importantly, women experiencing symptoms of a heart attack should seek medical attention immediately, to reduce the chance of suffering lasting heart damage.
For more information on women and heart disease, visit: http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/
