Heart Disease and Women» Women And Heart Disease

Women and Heart Disease-Some FAQ

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:15:38 +0000

Those women who are concerned about their potential for developing heart disease usually have many questions. I recently found a site that answers many questions about women and heart disease.

Below are a few concerns many women usually have. You can visit http://www.womenshealth.gov for even more information.

Do women need to worry about heart disease?

Yes. Among all U.S. women who die each year, one in four dies of heart disease. In 2004, nearly 60 percent more women died of cardiovascular disease (both heart disease and stroke) than from all cancers combined. The older a woman gets, the more likely she is to get heart disease. But women of all ages should be concerned about heart disease. All women should take steps to prevent heart disease.

Both men and women have heart attacks, but more women who have heart attacks die from them. Treatments can limit heart damage but they must be given as soon as possible after a heart attack starts. Ideally, treatment should start within one hour of the first symptoms.

If you think you’re having a heart attack, call 911 right away. Tell the operator your symptoms and that you think you’re having a heart attack.

Do women of color need to worry about heart disease?

Yes. African American and Hispanic American/Latina women should be concerned about getting heart disease because they tend to have more risk factors than white women. These risk factors include obesity, lack of physical activity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. If you’re a woman of color, take steps to reduce your risk factors.

What does high blood pressure have to do with heart disease?

Blood pressure is the force your blood makes against the walls of your arteries. The pressure is highest when your heart pumps blood into your arteries – when it beats. It is lowest between heart beats, when your heart relaxes. A doctor or nurse will write down your blood pressure as the higher number over the lower number. For instance, you could have a blood pressure of 110/70 (read as “110 over 70″). A blood pressure reading below 120/80 is usually considered normal. Very low blood pressure (lower than 90/60) can sometimes be a cause of concern and should be checked out by a doctor.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a blood pressure reading of 140/90 or higher. Years of high blood pressure can damage artery walls, causing them to become stiff and narrow. This includes the arteries carrying blood to the heart. As a result, your heart cannot get the blood it needs to work well. This can cause a heart attack.

A blood pressure reading of 120/80 to 139/89 is considered prehypertension. This means that you don’t have high blood pressure now but are likely to develop it in the future.

How can I lower my blood pressure?

If you have hypertension or prehypertension, you may be able to lower your
blood pressure by:

* losing weight if you are overweight or obese
* getting at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate physical activity or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity each week.
* limiting alcohol to one drink per day
* quitting smoking if you smoke
* reducing stress
* following the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Eating Plan, which includes cutting down on salt and sodium and eating healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products

If lifestyle changes do not lower your blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe medicine.

Remember to visit http://www.womenshealth.gov/ the site where all this information came from.

To Your Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

Heart attack symptoms women- Statistics Don’t Lie

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:19:34 +0000

Heart attack symptoms women, and the number of women who have heart disease is very problematic. It is very important for women to get educated and then take the right steps if they believe they are at risk.

Here is what the stats say about this dangerous disease and what you can do about.

Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
Skype: Monique371

Women and Heart Disease – Statistics Don’t Lie
By Barb Hicks

The statistics for heart disease in women are astounding. Women comprise 60% of all heart attack related deaths in the US every year, and are more likely to die from heart disease than men. Women tend to ignore the early warning signs of impending heart attacks because the symptoms are often vague and can resemble other conditions. Consequently, women are apt to delay getting treatment for their symptoms because they do not recognize the signs and do not understand their risks.

While risk factors remain the same for both men and women, compelling evidence suggests that women respond differently than men due to preconceived notions about heart disease, and do not seek treatment as early as they should. Women tend to be older with higher incidence of hypertension, higher cholesterol and blood sugar levels, but are less likely to be smokers. Women view heart disease as primarily a disease of men and never consider that their symptoms could be heart disease related. This could have dire repercussions should a heart attack ensue.

Women suffering heart attacks are more likely to experience shoulder and abdominal pain, as well as nausea, shortness of breath, and fatigue. These are symptoms that women generally do not associate with having a heart attack. They tend to blame their symptoms on something else entirely, denying themselves an opportunity to survive what could be a devastating heart attack event. The longer it takes to get treatment, the more likely hood of sustaining greater damage to the heart muscle itself.

Women who have had a heart attack report having symptoms in the weeks leading up to a heart attack, but never recognize its relationship to heart disease, putting themselves at risk for a second attack within five years after the first one.

It is curious to note that after arriving at the hospital emergency room, women may be confronted with a delay in validating that a heart attack has actually occurred. EKG testing has been found not to be consistent with what is considered to be classic symptoms of an attack on the heart, therefore, women are less likely to be admitted to the cardiac unit. In addition to this, women are less likely to receive life-saving thrombolytic medication as quickly as do men, thus statistically, women have a higher morality rate for heart attacks than men.

Barb Hicks is a featured health writer on Clivir.com – The Free Learning Community Site. She provides more information on Women Heart Disease and Hidden Heart Attack Signs in Women on Clivir.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barb_Hicks

Women and Heart Disease-What Are The Top 5 Heart Disease Myths

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:18:17 +0000

As we know, women and heart disease is a major concern in the US. To make matters worse, there seem to be myths about heart disease that many people belive.

In this You Tube video, Dr. Nieca Goldberg, author of “The Complete Guide To Women’s Health,” speaks with Chris Wragge about these myths and delivers what the “real deal” is.

I found the video informative and believe you will as well.

Take care of your heart and health!

Sincerely,
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
Skype: monique371