Heart Disease: Number One Killer of Women

Heart Disease: Number One Killer of Women

No matter how great you look on the outside, heart disease can strike on the inside. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the number one killer of women, regardless of their race and ethnicity. One in four women dies of heart disease.

Greater awareness of heart disease and taking action to reduce the risks can improve this statistic for women. Fortunately, women can increase their chances of surviving a heart attack and reduce their risks of developing heart disease.

Unfortunately many women aren’t aware of the symptoms of a heart attach or don’t believe that they are at risk for heart disease. The misconception that heart disease is a man’s disease still persists. Women are more likely than men to assume that heart attack symptoms are simply discomfort caused by stress. The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The campaign warns women about heart disease and provides tools to help them take action against its risk factors. It is primarily targeted to women ages 40 to 60, the time when a woman’s risk of heart disease begins to increase. However, it is never too early or too late to take action to prevent and control risk factors since heart disease develops over time and can start at a young age- even in the teen years.

                      Learn some basics about heart disease.

Learn the warning signs of a heart attack. Like men, women experiencing a heart attack may have one or more of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, and discomfort in other areas of the upper body including one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. But women are more likely to experience less traditional symptoms particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

Know your heart disease risks. Find out what your blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels are.  Make healthier lifestyle changes. Kick the smoking habit. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking most days of the week. Aim for a healthy weight.

 Sources: The Heart Truth Campaign and Gayle Coleman, UW-Extension Nutrition Specialist