Although heart disease is mostly thought of as a man’s disease, almost as many women as men die each year of heart disease. According to CDC statistics, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, killing 299,578 women in 2017—or about 1 in every 5 female deaths in the USA.
Statistics also show that when heart attack occurs, it is more likely to be fatal in women. Statistics from the American Heart Association (AHA) show that one woman every minute dies from heart disease in the US.
Things are similar in India too. Yet, women generally remain unaware of the extent of their risk.
In fact ask any woman and they will cite breast cancer as their greatest health threat - despite the fact that heart disease kills many more women as compared to breast cancer.
Part of the problem can be traced to a historical lack of attention to women's health issues. While much research has been done on heart disease in men, it's only in the last decade that researchers have focused studies on women. It’s now known, for instance, that women's hearts and capillaries are generally smaller than men's. Catheters and other devices used in angioplasty and other procedures were initially made with men in mind but have since been retooled to come in different sizes. Thankfully!
And what is worse is that now thanks to our lifestyles age have ceased to be a factor anymore, and today younger women are also at risk. In fact, rheumatic heart disease can strike young women in the age group of 15 - 35 years too. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to talk more about the preventive steps women can take to keep their hearts safe.
To keep heart disease away the greatest weapon is knowledge and a lifestyle check. It is imperative for women to know the risk factors and change things around. The more a woman knows about heart disease, the better chance she has of beating it
Know Your Genes
Some factors though cannot be modified. Chances of developing heart disease increase manifold if close members of the family have had it. So give your genes a check-up. If it runs in your family be doubly careful.
Menopause Danger
Before menopause, a woman's own estrogen helps protect her from heart disease by increasing HDL (good) cholesterol and decreasing LDL (bad) cholesterol. After menopause, women have higher concentrations of total cholesterol than men do. After menopause, a woman loses the protection that estrogen (female hormone) offers and with the life expectancy increasing, more and more women are now susceptible.
Quit Smoking
Lot many women are smoking these days but it important to know how these two can up the risks. Smoking, in fact, is the single most preventable cause. Women who smoke have a much higher risk of death from heart disease or stroke. The need to be careful of the constant exposure to other tobacco smoke at work or at home as second-hand smoke also increases the risk. You can decrease risk in just a few months by quitting smoking.
Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise does not mean that one needs to be a marathoner or aerobics instructor to receive these benefits. Women who spend as little as 1 hour walking each week can cut their risk of heart disease in half. Moderately intensive exercise, like brisk walking for at least 30 minutes each day, will reduce risk, as will small changes like taking the stairs instead of elevators.
Eat Right
Eating a healthy diet consciously comprised of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts, and good fats from fatty fish (like salmon) and seeds will help reduce risk factors. Limiting processed foods with refined sugars and trans fats also helps.
Bust Stress
Modern-day stress – the dual pressure of working outside and also at home has added towards increasing this problem as stress is definitely a very big contributing factor with women. Stress-reducing strategies include exercise, adequate sleep, relaxation techniques, and meditation. Psychotherapy can be especially helpful with depression and anxiety.
Check your Numbers
High LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol components are risk factors. Low levels of HDL cholesterol seem to be a stronger risk factor for women than for men according to the American heart association (AHA). Women can improve their blood fat profiles with a combination of diet, exercise and use of antioxidants such as vitamin E.
High blood pressure can be deadly too. It may be silent (without symptoms), and therefore women should have their blood pressure checked regularly. Measures to keep blood pressure in control include reducing weight, limiting salt, avoiding excessive alcohol intake and if necessary taking medication.
Other Risk Factors
Women need to stay alert to risk factors like diabetes, obesity and excess alcohol. A diabetic woman has a much higher risk of developing heart disease and heart attack compared to a non-diabetic woman. And diabetes doubles the risk of a second heart attack in women but not in men according to AHA. Obesity is associated with a higher risk of heart disease because of its influence on blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as the tendency to lead to diabetes.
Know These Symptoms
Women typically have small vessel disease so their symptoms tend to be much more subtle. In fact, many women don't experience the crushing chest pain that is a classic symptom of a heart attack in men. Sometimes simple symptoms could be their only indication of a damaged heart. Look out for:
- Feeling of nausea, vomiting during regular day to day activities.
- Body aches and dizziness, often mistaken for the flu could actually be from a decrease in blood flow to the heart.
- Shortness of breath, even at rest, could be a sign your arteries are blocked.
- Burning in your chest may feel like heartburn but it could be a heart attack as the oesophagus sits next to the heart.
- Pain in your shoulders, jaw, or neck, you think is a pulled muscle could be the pain of a heart attack.
- Excessive sweating without a normal cause is another common heart attack symptom in women.
- Feeling cold and clammy can also be an indicator of heart problems.
- Sleep disturbances that involve difficulty getting to sleep, unusual waking throughout the night and feeling tired despite getting enough sleep.
- Sleep disturbance, unexplained anxiety, exceptionally weak or heavy arms could also be singling towards heart trouble.
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