According to the American Heart Association, heart disease kills more women than all types of cancer combined, but only about half of all women know this. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 80% of deaths from cardiovascular disease can be prevented by changing unhealthy lifestyle choices. Most women between the ages of 40 and 60 have at least one risk factor for the disease, said Dr. Purvi Palwani, director of the Women’s Heart Health Clinic at Loma Linda University’s International Heart Institute.
“Women are often unaware of their risk for heart disease and may not even realize they already have heart disease,” she says.
Palwani says some women don’t experience any symptoms, while others have less obvious symptoms. Symptoms of heart disease include discomfort, pain, numbness, shortness of breath, irregular pulse or palpitations, high or low blood pressure, anxiety, nausea, unusual sweating, unexplained fatigue, and swelling of the hands and feet.
Risk factor
Knowing your risk factors for heart disease is essential to maintaining your overall health, says Palwani.
“The more risk factors you have, and the worse those risk factors become, the higher your risk of heart disease,” she says.
Knowing your risk factors can tell you whether you are at high, moderate, or low risk for heart disease. You can then set goals and work with your health care provider to achieve them. Common risk factors for heart disease include:
- Age — 55 years or older for women
- high blood pressure or cholesterol
- Smoking is associated with half of all coronary artery disease (heart attacks) in women.
- Diabetes nearly doubles the risk of fatal coronary artery disease.
- Family history of early heart disease
- Being obese or overweight makes you more likely to develop diseases such as high blood pressure (high blood pressure) and diabetes, which can lead to heart disease.
- Lack of exercise increases your chances of developing other risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.
- Sleep apnea is associated with high blood pressure, arrhythmia, stroke, and heart failure.
- In chronic kidney disease, the heart pumps harder to pump blood to the kidneys, which puts stress on the heart and can lead to heart disease.
Risk factors for heart disease include: affects women more than men include:
- Autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma, particularly affect women and are associated with cardiac inflammation, heart and valvular disease, and increased risk of heart attack. I am.
- After menopause, the levels of estrogen that once formed a protective layer within blood vessels decrease.
- Oral contraceptives, especially for women over 35 who smoke
- depression and stress. Doctors are finding that cardiovascular diseases such as vasospasm angina and broken heart syndrome, which are more common in women and rarer in men, are linked to stress and depression, among other gender differences. I’m starting to suspect that it is.
- Pregnancy-related factors include the development of diabetes, eclampsia or preeclampsia, premature birth, placental, or vascular problems.
read: Underdiagnosed heart failure in women — doctors and patients spread the word
Lifestyle changes
Palwani recommends understanding which risk factors are controllable and following lifestyle changes to get on the path to a heart-healthy life.
- Move more and maintain a healthy weight. It can reduce her three major risk factors: blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.
- Cook heart-healthy meals. Remove saturated fat and salt from your menu. Add a good source of omega-3 fats to help lower triglycerides, clotting, and blood pressure.
- Quit smoking. Smoking triples the risk of heart attack and is the most common risk factor for women.
- Let’s relieve stress every day. Try visiting a friend, listening to music, practicing breathing exercises, or doing some physical activity.
- Please consult your health care provider. Discuss risk factors for heart disease and work together to develop a prevention and treatment plan.
- Know your numbers. Understanding the results of your health assessment deepens your relationship with your heart health and helps you stay on top of changes.
LLU Women’s Heart Health Clinic provides complete cardiovascular disease care uniquely tailored to women. Our world-class cardiologists and surgeons can help you understand your risks and advance the prevention, detection, and treatment of heart disease. Find more information online or call 1-800-468-5432 to schedule an appointment.
