Historically, heart disease has been thought of as a man’s disease. We all have seen the image of the older male with a clenched fist over his chest. For many people, this has been the perception of heart disease. However, heart disease can present with a wide range of symptoms. Women tend to present with more subtle symptoms of heart disease. It is because of this difference that women with heart disease are often misdiagnosed. Women are more likely to be told they have heartburn or anxiety. This misdiagnosis has led to women dying from cardiovascular related complications such as heart attacks and strokes. We now know heart disease is the number one killer of women.
In 2004, the American Heart Association launched the campaign Go Red for Women. This national campaign was designed to help educate medical professionals and the general public about the risk of early death and morbidity associated with undiagnosed heart disease in women. One in four women will die from heart disease. When the Go Red for Women campaign was launched, more women died of heart disease than all cancers combined.
Heart disease is the umbrella term used to describe problems affecting the heart and the blood vessels in the heart. This umbrella includes coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart attacks, stroke, and irregular heart rhythms. Coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease in women, occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart are narrow or blocked. The narrowing is caused by plaque building up on the inner walls of the arteries. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, calcium, and other substances in the blood. Plaque build up is a slow process and over time plaque can grow large enough to completely or partially occlude the arteries. Blood flow to the heart is reduced as a result of narrowed arteries. This reduction of blood flow to the heart can manifest as angina, chest pain or discomfort. If the plaque completely blocks the artery, blood flow to that particular part of the heart is blocked resulting in a heart attack.
Heart disease is preventable in most people and part of the Go Red for Women campaign has been designed to help reduce some of the risk factors associated with heart disease. Some risk factors can not be changed: family history, age, gender, and race. However, there are several correctable risk factors: Hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and smoking. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease because long-term high blood pressure can damage the artery walls by causing them to become stiff and narrow. When this occurs, the arteries can not adequately carry blood to the heart. High cholesterol is responsible for plaque build up which can narrow or block the arteries. Obesity is the bases for hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Maintaining a normal body weight is ideal. Long-term diabetes and smoking can also adversely affect the artery walls.
For both women and men, the most common sign of a heart attack is pain or discomfort in the center of the chest. However, women are less likely than men to have the more popular signs of heart attack suck as pain/discomfort in the arms, back, jaw, or stomach, shortness of breath, nausea, or cold sweats. Women are more likely to have heart flutters, heartburn, loss of appetite, coughing, or feeling weak or tired. Women should be aware of the subtle signs of having a heart attack.
African American women should be concerned about heart disease because we tend to have more risk factors than Caucasian women. Thirty-seven percent of African American women have hypertension. About one in five African American women smoke. Nearly 50% of African American women have a total cholesterol level that is too high. Nearly 80% of African-American women are overweight or obese (don’t believe me…check your BMI at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ ). Fifty-five percent of African American women do not engage in physical activity. In addition, African American women lack access to healthcare and tend to put the needs of their families first and ignore their own health.
Now that you know the truth about women’s heart health, what should you do? The first step is identifying your risk factors. Any of the following can increase your risk of having heart disease: family history of heart disease, age greater than 55, having hypertension, having diabetes, having high cholesterol, being overweight/obese, smoking, and inactivity. Of course you can not change your family history or you age but you can maintain a healthy body weight, become physically active, and do not smoke. Women can reduce their risk of heart disease by 82% just by living a healthy lifestyle. Have a conversation with you healthcare provider regarding you risk factors for heart disease. Tight control of underlying medical conditions is the key. Blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol medications should be taken as advised by your healthcare provider.
Tools
- http://www.nmanet.org/images/uploads/Documents/OC536.pdf
- http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/educational/hearttruth/downloads/pdf/factsheet-actionplan-aa.pdf
- http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
All material in this article is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the con-tents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.
