Women and
Heart Disease Prevention
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the
United States. Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a “man’s
disease,” around the same number of women and men die each year of heart
disease in the United States.
Learn how to lower your chance for heart
disease, ask your health provider questions about heart health, and make sure
you know the symptoms of a heart attack.
Lower Your Chance for Heart Disease
Eat healthy, stay active, be smoke-free,
and limit alcohol use to lower your chance for heart disease.
Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Know the factors that may increase your
chances of getting heart disease.
·
Diabetes
·
Diet
high in saturated fats and cholesterol
·
Excessive
alcohol use
·
Family
history of heart disease
·
High
blood cholesterol
·
High
blood pressure
·
Obesity
·
Physical
inactivity
·
Tobacco
use
Ask Questions
Get answers to questions you have. Use
this list of questions if needed.
·
What
is my risk for heart disease?
·
What
is my blood pressure? What does it mean for me, and what do I need to do about
it?
·
What
are my cholesterol numbers (including total cholesterol, LDL or “bad”
cholesterol, HDL or “good” cholesterol, and triglycerides)? What do they mean
for me, and what do I need to do about them?
·
What
is my “body mass index” and waist measurement? Is my BMI in the “normal” range?
Do I need to lose weight for my health?
·
What
is my blood sugar level? Am I at risk for diabetes?
·
What
other screening tests for heart disease do I need? How often should I return
for checkups for my heart health?
·
What
can I do to quit smoking?
·
How
much physical activity do I need to help protect my heart?
·
What
is a heart-healthy eating plan for me? Should I see a registered dietitian or
qualified nutritionist to learn more about healthy eating?
·
How
can I tell if I’m having a heart attack?
Know the Signs, and Act Immediately
A woman suffers a heart attack every 90
seconds in the United States. If you think you or someone you know is having a
heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately. The good news is that if you
seek help quickly, treatment can save your life and prevent permanent damage to
your heart muscle. Treatment works best if given within 1 hour of when
symptoms begin.
Common symptoms are:
·
Unusually
heavy pressure on the chest, like there’s a ton of weight on you
·
Sharp
upper body pain in the neck, back, and jaw
·
Severe
shortness of breath
·
Cold
sweats (not hot flashes from menopause)
·
Unusual
or unexplained fatigue (tiredness)
·
Unfamiliar
dizziness or light-headedness
·
Unexplained
nausea (feeling sick to the stomach) or vomiting
Related Links
·
Go Red for
Women external icon(American Heart Association)
·
The Heart Truthexternal icon(NIH)
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