Heart Disease & Women
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of American women, claiming the lives of roughly 500,000 women each year – more than Breast Cancer and the next five causes of death combined. Fortunately, for many women, cardiovascular disease can be prevented.
Knowing the risks for cardiovascular disease can help you make decisions in your life that will lead you on the path to better health. Of course, change is never easy, but sometimes even small changes in our daily lives can make a difference and help improve our overall cardiovascular health. Lifestyle changes that can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease include:
Quit Smoking
Simply put, smoking is the number one risk factor for sudden cardiac death. According to the American Heart Association, smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack than non-smokers. By choosing not to smoke, you can dramatically reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Exercising More
Just 15 minutes of brisk activity — walking, for example — twice a day can help reduce your risk. By becoming more active, you can also help control your cholesterol levels, keep diabetes in check, and, in some cases, reduce your blood pressure.
Eat Better
Healthy eating, with a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol, can help lower your risk of having a heart attack. That’s because too much saturated fat and cholesterol increases the amount of cholesterol in your blood, which puts you at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Lose Weight
Too much weight can increase the strain on your heart. If you’re overweight, you are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease -- excess weight is linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and diabetes.
Drink in Moderation
Although heart disease is less common in those who drink moderate amounts of alcohol (one drink a day for women or less) than in those who do not drink at all, too much alcohol consumption can be dangerous, putting you at increased risk for high blood pressure and stroke.
In addition to understanding what puts you at greater risk for heart disease and stroke, it’s important also to realize that women often experience heart attack differently than men. Although many women, like men, typically feel chest pain or discomfort when having a heart attack, women also report having other symptoms – such as shortness of breath, back pain and nausea/vomiting – more often than men. So, it’s important to be aware of all of the warning signs and seek help immediately if you believe you may be having a heart attack.