Women and the Ticking Timebomb of Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women. Women are 5 times more likely to die of heart disease than cancer. Approximately 200,000 women die of heart disease every year ages 20 and over. The sad fact is that many women are unaware of the ticking time bomb.

There are many resources available to make women aware of the threat of heart disease. Getting educated and taking the necessary steps to get heart health increases your chances mortality. Heart disease is preventable with decreasing  your risk factors, early detection and asking your health provider the right questions.

Who is at Risk?

  • Women who smoke increase their risk of dying of heart disease 2-3 times
  • High Cholesterol
  • Less active or women with very limited physical activity
  1. African American women 64%
  2. Caucasian women 50%
  3. Hispanic women 60%
  4. Asian/Pacific Islander women 53%
  • Obesity and weight in American women
  1. African American women 80%
  2. Caucasian women 58%
  3. Hispanic women 74%
  • Women that suffer from diabetes increase there risk of heart disease 2 times
  • knowing your family history (your risk increase if your mother, father or brother have died or suffered from heart disease.

Symptoms & Warning Signs

Remember that no two women have the same symptoms or warning signs of a heart attack. Some women have no symptoms, some have a combination and some show all of them. Most common symptoms of a heart attack:

  • Tightness, pressure, fullness, squeezing in the chest area that comes and goes or last longer than 5 minutes.
  • Crushing chest pain.
  • Pain, numbness, pressure that spreads to your shoulders, neck, upper back, arms and jaw.
  • Nausea and dizziness while sitting or standing.
  • Clammy day or night sweats, heart flutters or paleness of the skin.
  • Stomach or abdominal pain
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

Questions to ask your Physician.

  1. What is my risk for heart disease?
  2. What immediate lifestyle changes can I make to lower my risk of heart disease and improve my heart health?
  3. What testing or screening should I have to check or monitor my heart heart? How frequent should these test and screens be taken?
  4. What is my blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels? What does these levels mean to my heart health?
  5. How much physical activity or exercise do you recommend to prevent or maintain my heart health?
  6. Should I take aspirin to prevent a heart attack? If so, what regimen do you recommend?
  7. Does taking birth control increase my chances of heart disease?
  8. What are the warning signs of a heart attack for a women?

Advice & Tips

  1. Stop smoking
  2. Eat health well balanced properly proportions of food.
  3. Include exercise and physical activity in your daily life.
  4. Get your cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar checked regularly and maintain a healthy weight.

Women DON'T BECOME A HEART DISEASE STATISTIC take care of your heart health you owe it to yourself.