Women and Heart Disease

Did you know?

• Women are more likely to die from a heart attack than they are of any single other cause, including breast cancer. In fact, women are five times more likely to die from a heart attack than to die from breast cancer.
• For women 65 or older, the risk of a heart attack is about the same as it is for men of the same age.

• The heart is a muscle, to keep pumping it needs oxygen rich blood. The oxygen rich blood is supplied by the coronary arteries. When the coronary arteries are healthy, blood flows through them easily.
• Coronary heart disease does not develop overnight. It starts with a process called atherosclerosis, a gradual build up of fatty substances in the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood.
• Risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol can damage coronary arteries.
• The damaged areas attract fatty substances, the build up of the fatty deposits narrows arteries and reduces blood flow to your heart.
• If narrowing of the arteries becomes severe, it can cause angina or a heart attack.

• Women don't always feel the warning signs of heart disease the same way men do.
• Research has shown that women tend to delay seeking treatment for signs and symptoms of coronary heart disease.
• For women, angina may come and go.
• May feel pressure in the upper abdomen.
• May have trouble breathing.
• May feel weak or tired when doing something that used to be easy.
• May have heartburn or nausea that doesn't seem related to anything eaten.

• Since coronary artery disease is the #1 cause of death in women, it is important for women to be able to recognize the factors that put them at risk for developing coronary artery disease.
• It is important to recognize the non-modifiable risk factors (risk factors you cannot change) and the modifiable risk factors (the risk factors you can change).
• You can do a lot to reduce your risk for heart disease.

• Family history: If a close family member had heart disease before age 55, your risk for heart disease is higher.
• Age: Blood vessels narrow and harden with age. The older you are, the greater your risk for heart disease.

• Smoking
• High Cholesterol
• High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes
• Lack of Exercise
• Excess Weight
• Stress
• Alcohol

The Bad News:

• Smoking damages the lining of the blood vessels and elevates blood pressure.
• Women who smoke have a 2-6 times greater risk for heart attack than non-smoking women.
• There is really only one way to lower your risk --- quit smoking!!

The Good News:

• After quitting smoking, the risk of heart disease declines and falls to the level of risk among non-smokers within 3-5 years.

• Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in the blood. It can cause fatty deposits to buildup and narrow your blood vessels.
• 40% of women > 55years old have elevated cholesterol.
• Cholesterol is a controllable risk factor.
• Choosing a diet low in fat and cholesterol can reduce blood cholesterol by as much as 5 — 20%.
• Control cholesterol by:
  • Diet
  • Exercise
  • Weight loss
  • Medications

• High blood pressure causes blood to press too hard against the walls of your arteries, wearing down the lining of your arteries over time.
• Cholesterol attaches more easily to the artery walls.
• Blood pressure over 140/90 raises your risk for heart disease.
• 52% of women >45 years old have elevated blood pressure.
• A significant number of women are unaware that they have high blood pressure.
• Control blood pressure by:
  • diet
  • exercise
  • medication

• Your heart is a muscle, and like other muscles, it works better and stays stronger with regular exercise.
• Inactive people double their risk for heart disease.
• 25% of women report no regular physical activity.
• Exercise can also decrease cholesterol and blood pressure and can help control weight.
• To strengthen your heart, you need to do aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 - 50 minutes each time.
• Make it fun, the more you enjoy exercise, the more you'll want to do it.
• Start slowly and stick to it.

• Excess weight makes your heart muscle work harder and this raises your risk.
• Having a body weight significantly above ideal is associated with increased blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
• The number of women who are obese is increasing.
• Control your weight.
• Healthy eating and exercise will help maintain a healthy weight.
• Enjoy being active; enjoy eating well.

• A woman with diabetes has a 5 times higher risk of heart disease.
• Diabetes is a disease that can damage artery walls, increasing the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
• You can lower your risk.
• If you are diabetic, you can help control. atherosclerosis by keeping your blood sugars normal.
• Good control of blood sugar levels can be maintained with a combination of diet, exercise, and if necessary medications.

• Stressful situations can raise your blood pressure and heart rate, this can damage artery walls.
• You can't totally remove stressful situations from your life, but you can lower your risk of coronary heart disease by eliminating unnecessary stresses, developing a positive way to manage stress and finding ways to relax.

• Drinking more than two drinks per day increases your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
• Consume less than 2 drinks per day
  • One drink =
    • 5 ounces of wine or
    • 1 bottle of beer or
    • 1.5 ounces of spirits

Learning about coronary artery disease can help you understand the importance of reducing risk factors.

Making changes isn't easy and building a healthy lifestyle takes long-term commitment, habits take time to change.

Common goals for a healthy life

• not smoking
• high blood pressure control
• diabetes control
• regular exercise
• weight control
• cholesterol control
• medicines
• diet
• stress management